Skylanders United
by icepelt2000
Summary: We are more than a team. We are family. Through all of the pain we've endured, we have fought together as one. We are Skylanders. And now you can know who we are.
1. Wildfire: Lion Heart

**Skylanders belongs to Activision, but I hope you already knew that. Any characters you don't recognize from this chapter are probably ones I added for the sake of the plot.**

Chapter One: Lion Heart

Sunbeam polished his father's shield in the afternoon sun. He did this ritual every day because it made him feel closer to his deceased father. His father was the mightiest lion that Sunbeam had ever known. He had kept the bullies and tormentors away. Now that he was gone, they came in hordes to attack Sunbeam.

Speak of the devil, two orange-furred adolescent lions came up to Sunbeam. They were brothers- the eldest was Setter, and the youngest was Comet. If anyone hated Sunbeam the most, it was these two hecklers. They gave Sunbeam the most grief. Today probably wouldn't be any different.

True to history, it wasn't.

"Well if it isn't Goldy-butt," Setter taunted. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sunbeam, Sunbeam!" Comet taunted. "Sunbeam doesn't...um...doesn't...I made up a whole chant this morning..."

Comet wasn't overly clever when he wanted to be. Setter was clever all the time, which made up for it. Sunbeam didn't let these mediocre taunts bother him. He only wished they didn't have to be so relentless so soon after his father's passing. It was bad enough that Sunbeam had to deal with the grief, but to deal with bullies at the same time? It was too much.

Sunbeam was a golden lion. No, he wasn't golden-furred. He was _made_ of gold! Nobody knew why, but even the _king_ of the Fire Claws Clan agreed that a golden lion was a bad omen. Sunbeam was an outcast at best.

"Why are you two here?" Sunbeam asked. "Don't you two have anything better to do than make fun of me?"

"As a matter of fact, we do," Setter began. "We just wanted to say that we're going to go through the Rite of Infernos tonight. We're going to traverse the fiery plains and become true warriors of the Clan!"

"Which is more than _you'll_ ever do!" Comet sneered. "What _do_ you plan to do with the rest of your life, if you can't figure out who you are in this world?"

"Does the Shaman know you're going to do this?" Sunbeam asked.

"Of course he does! We wouldn't be dumb enough to do this if the Shaman hadn't given his permission first."

The Rite of Infernos was an important tradition for the lions of the Fire Claws Clan. Beyond their safe little savannah lies a strip of land connecting the savannah to the Ember Cave on the other side of their island. That strip of land was known as the Fire Plains, and it always burned with a special fire that never went out. When a lion of their Clan reaches a certain age, they had to inform the Shaman that they were going to cross the fiery plains. Once a month, during a full moon, the fires of those plains became wild and ferocious, and more dangerous than they were the rest of the month. The lions would don special armor that protected them from the heat, and would carry weapons down the path in case dangerous fire creatures fought them. The goal was to brave these fires and get to the Ember Cave, where you would be told in a dream what your true name and destiny was. You would then be given a special place in the Clan, depending on what the dream told you.

It wasn't fair. Because of what Sunbeam was, he wasn't allowed to participate in the Rite of Infernos! He would never find his true name. He would never find his true place in the world. He would never find his destiny. Sunbeam would never be the man his father had hoped he'd become. All of those things would never happen, all because Sunbeam was made of gold.

But did it have to be this way?

"I'm happy for you," Sunbeam simply replied. He looked at his reflection in the shield. A smile reflected back to him. After all, his father once said, "If you must choose between the sword and shield, take the shield."

That night, Sunbeam followed Setter and Comet onto the Fire Plains. The path that was usually safe from fire was now lit ablaze under the light of the full moon. He jumped on the rocks to avoid the flames. He followed Setter and Comet toward the Ash Trees, which offered some protection from the burning blaze. The entire time, he carried his father's shield in his right hand. Sunbeam was going through the Rite of Infernos. Doing this without the Shaman's knowledge would probably land him in exile- but he was surprised that it hadn't already happened.

Sunbeam heard Setter and Comet scream in flight. He jumped down from the trees and ran after the two lions. Sunbeam saw what scared them so much. A giant fire scorpion crossed their paths. The flame scorpion was a giant, terrifying insect that had flaming venom that could kill in seconds.

Two untrained lions were no match for such a beast.

Neither was Sunbeam, but he knew he should protect them.

"Get behind me!" Sunbeam roared.

Setter and Comet, obviously confused, ran behind Sunbeam. Sunbeam held the giant shield up, guarding himself and the two lions with him. The fire scorpion struck its tail at the shield, and nothing happened. The shield's metal was too strong for the scorpion's stinger to penetrate it.

"What are you doing out here?" Setter asked.

"What does it look like?" Sunbeam replied. "I'm traversing the Fire Plains on my Rite of Infernos."

"Now I'm _sure_ that the Shaman doesn't know you're doing this! You're going to get in so much trouble for this!"

"Really?" Sunbeam couldn't help the sarcastic tone in his voice as he gestured with his eyes toward the beast. Becoming serious again, Sunbeam continued, "It's way too dangerous to cross the path with that scorpion here. You two have to go back and get the guards. Their force can stop the monster."

"No way!" Comet yelled. "We need to complete our test!"

"Do you want to _die_?"

"Good point, Goldy-butt."

"I'll buy you some time in order for you to make your escape. Now go!"

Setter and Comet ran back to camp, hiding from the distracted scorpion's view. Sunbeam threw the shield at the scorpion's head and jumped onto its back. He held onto the tail in hopes of buying more time for Setter and Comet to escape- and the writhing tail scratched Sunbeam on the chest. He fell off of the scorpion's back, his head already feeling dizzy from the scorpion venom. The scorpion faced him, hoping to grab a snack from the dying lion. Sunbeam weakly grabbed his father's shield and hid under it, not wishing to be mutilated as the venom took its effects on him.

For a moment, Sunbeam could swear that he saw his father, standing over him as he hid under the shield. Perhaps that was just his imagination, or he was already slipping away. If this was the destiny meant for Sunbeam, then so be it. Death was the only option now. And his father didn't deserve a golden lion for a legacy.

 _Father, protect me, even in my final moment,_ Sunbeam thought as his vision faded. As everything went dark, he could swear that he heard the sounds of the Clan's guards racing after the scorpion- but perhaps that was also his imagination.

 _Sunbeam found himself in a dense forest, a few beams of light streaming down. Besides the sparse light, it was rather dark and hard to see. He merely shrugged, and walked around for a few moments. It wasn't long before he spotted several trolls running away from a golden lion. The lion carried a large red shield, which had a lion's face carved into it. That couldn't be Sunbeam- he was dead. This was confirmed when the trolls and the golden lion passed by Sunbeam as if he weren't there._

 _"Heads up, Wildfire!" a gruff voice shouted._

 _The golden lion ducked as a blue arrow shot at the trolls. A blue crocagator jumped down from the trees. The golden lion and the blue crocagator attacked the trolls as one. Here was a strange act. Lions and crocagators normally couldn't stand one another. Why would two of them work together?_

 _"I admire your future acts," a familiar voice smiled. Sunbeam turned around to see a lion he never thought he'd see again._

 _"Father, it's you!" Sunbeam cried, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so glad it's you!"_

 _Who exactly are you referring to?"_

 _That was a strange question. His father knew what Sunbeam meant. One of the pleasures of being dead was questioning Sunbeam's motives. As he thought about it, Sunbeam looked back at the lion and the crocagator. Now the lion pinned the troll leader to the ground. The crocagator had his bow pulled back in case the other trolls made a move to help their friend._

 _"I don't know," Sunbeam admitted. "Who are they?"_

 _"The crocagator is Snap Shot, leader of the Trap Masters," his father explained. "The lion is you, sometime in the near future."_

 _"No it isn't! That's Wildfire! I'm dead! The scorpion got me!"_

 _"You're not dead. I protected you, even when it seemed like it was impossible. No matter how we enter the Rite of Infernos, we always learn something from it...Wildfire."_

 _"So is this...is this some kind of vision? I've heard stories about how lions have special dreams after completing the Rite of Infernos. Is this like that?"_

 _"What do you think?"_

 _"But I never got to the Ember Cave."_

 _"Nobody said you had to get to the Ember Cave in order to receive the dream. Wildfire, this is the destiny that lies before you."_

 _"Wildfire" looked back to the lion and the crocagator. Now the trolls all wore handcuffs. The crocagator gave the lion a friendly nudge on the shoulder. These two, despite their differences, looked to be pretty good friends. They were Trap Masters, and the Trap Masters were of the Skylanders. His destiny was to become a Skylander?_

 _"This is my path?" Wildfire asked._

 _"Yes, but you won't walk it alone," his father confirmed. "In addition to your new friends, I will also be there. When I died, I never really left you. I simply found another way to watch over you."_

 _Wildfire hugged his father. "I will never let you down!" he promised._

Wildfire opened groggy eyes. His vision returned slowly, and he saw that he was in the Shaman's tent. He looked in the corner to see Setter and Comet carefully watching over him. They both looked exhausted. What had they done all night?

"Setter! He's awake! He's alive!" Comet gasped, grabbing his brother by the arm.

Setter's eyes widened as large as grape fruits, and Wildfire could see relief in them. "Sunbeam! Er, whoever you are now, I'm so sorry!" Sunbeam cried. "I take back every mean thing I've ever said to you! I'm glad you're okay! I never wanted you to _die_!"

"Slow down! What's going on?" Wildfire grumbled.

"We came back with guards like you wanted. They defeated the scorpion, but then we found you hiding under your shield. The scorpion had scratched your chest, but you were still breathing. The venom should've killed you within the minute. The Shaman healed your wounds, and told everyone to pray for the injured soldier."

"Was he talking about me?"

"Of course. He said that if you managed to survive, that your lion heart would make you a great warrior."

"Well, how long have you been here?"

"All night," Comet explained. "We never left your side. You scared us. There were points in the night when you'd stop breathing, and your whole body would burn with an intense heat. Then you'd start breathing again. The whole thing was weird. You were supposed to be dead, but it was as if your body fought the urge to actually die. "

That _had_ to have been his father, keeping him warm and safe. Wildfire knew the image he'd seen last night _had_ been his father's spirit, protecting him from the scorpion. There was no doubt now. His father had always been there, and that wasn't about to change.

"Did you two even get any sleep last night?" Wildfire asked.

"No. We were too worried," Setter explained. "Everyone had been afraid that you would die."

Another lion entered the tent at the moment. This was the Shaman, advisor to the King of the Clan, and pretty much the most important person there. He looked at Wildfire with awe in his eyes.

"Setter, Comet, you can leave now," the Shaman said as calmly as possible. "I suggest that you get some sleep. We still need to figure out what your true names are."

"But we never-" Comet stammered.

"You're fine. Now go."

Setter and Comet left the tent. The Shaman walked over to Wildfire, the awe still in his eyes. "You're alive?" the Shaman gasped.

"Yeah, I'm alive," Wildfire confirmed. "A bit sore and groggy, but I'm alive."

"I can't believe it. I healed your wounds just in case, but I never expected you to survive a few minutes after getting hit by the scorpion, let alone surviving the night. How is this possible?"

"It's simple, really. My father protected me."

The Shaman nodded his head in agreement. "Even after death, your father always watches over you," he smiled. "Did you have a dream during this time?"

"Yeah," Wildfire confirmed. "My true name is Wildfire."

"A strong name for a strong warrior. Normally an act like yours would've resulted in exile- but we wouldn't let you participate, and if you hadn't gone out there, Setter and Comet would've died. The King and I have decided to let it slip. Did you learn what your destiny is?"

"I'm supposed to-" Wildfire paused. He was supposed to tell the Shaman what his true destiny was. He knew what it was. He also knew that being a Trap Master Skylander was the highest honor anybody from anywhere in Skylands could receive. But...he felt uncomfortable talking about it.

"I'm sorry," Wildfire decided. "With all due respect, I'd rather keep my destiny a secret for now."

"Nobody has ever requested that," the Shaman thought. "I can respect that, however. Until you are ready to reveal your destiny, you will be trained as one of the finest warriors of the Fire Claws Clan. Oh, and one more thing, Wildfire."

The Shaman set a shield on Wildfire's lap. It was his father's shield! No...no, it was Wildfire's shield now. Wildfire carried his father's legacy.

"We were talking...if you didn't make it," the Shaman began, "We were talking about burying that shield with you. We would've done so at your father's funeral, had you not requested to keep it."

"Thank you," Wildfire gasped. He picked up the shield, and looked at his smiling reflection in it. He vowed to keep the shield with him forever, knowing that you would always be protected.


	2. Hot Dog: Can We Keep Him?

Chapter Two: Can We Keep Him?

"AARGH! HELP ME!"

A scream of terror roused Terrafin from his sleep. He opened one eye, and happened to see a fire pup drag a bone warrior around the yard. This sight woke him fully, and Terrafin ran after the two. He stepped in the fire pup's path. The fire pup, unable to dig underneath the ground like Terrafin, stopped in his tracks.

"Hot Dog, drop him!" Terrafin demanded.

The fire pup, Hot Dog, spat the bone warrior, Chop Chop, out of his mouth. That didn't stop him from bounding around with energy.

"That was fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!" Hot Dog barked happily. "Let's play again!"

"No! Let's _not_ play again!" Chop Chop yelled. "Why do you always do that?!"

"Because it's fun!"

Terrafin interjected and asked, "Did he ask you to play a game, Chop Chop?"

Chop Chop got off the ground, dusting himself off. "As a matter of fact, he did," Chop Chop replied. "He came up to me and asked if he could play with me. I was dumb enough to say yes."

"Maybe next time you should specify what _kind_ of game you want to play."

"Next time I'll muzzle him! A loyal Skylander cannot hurt his allies like this!"

This comment hurt Hot Dog. He wasn't loyal? All he ever wanted to be was loyal! While Terrafin and Chop Chop argued, Hot Dog snuck away to hide in his special place. He didn't understand what he did wrong. He just wanted to play.

 _Hot Dog walked around the ridge of the Popcorn Volcano, using his nose to sniff around. There was too much sulfur and ash for him to find anything, and he constantly found himself sneezing. There was no way he could find what he was looking for. Perhaps he didn't have a good enough sniffer? That might be it, but Hot Dog still found himself despondent._

 _And what was Hot Dog looking for, you ask? He was looking for the thing that every dog yearns for- a family. Any family would do for him, even if they were mean. In a family, he wouldn't be alone. He hated being alone._

 _He heard a noise. Hot Dog was stuck in place, panicking on what to do next. Suddenly, the lava in the volcano rushed up underneath Hot Dog, and he was shot out of the volcano in a violent eruption. For a while, he soared through the air. For a...long while. Hot Dog shut his eyes in fear, unsure of what would happen next._

 _Then Hot Dog felt himself land on something...something rather soft, actually. He then tumbled to the ground in an awkward position. Still afraid to open his eyes, Hot Dog listened to someone shout, "AAH! A bear! A bear!" He listened to...several footsteps scrambling around. He heard the same someone shout, "My tent! It's burning to the ground!"_

 _Hot Dog hesitantly opened his eyes, and saw three strangers running around. One of them was blue, and he shot some kind of wet stuff on the burning thing that must've been a tent. Another was green with pointy ears, trying to gather things that must've been supplies. The last creature was also green with pointy ears, but he had something over his eyes. He ran directly to the burning tent and helped the blue person put it out._

 _"Hang on, Gill Grunt, I see another flame out here," The other pointy-eared person explained._

 _"Another flame rests on my tent?" The blue creature, probably Gill Grunt, asked. "Wait, Flameslinger, I don't see anything!"_

 _"My fire-sight is never wrong. There's another flame here."_

 _"Where is it?"_

 _The pointy-eared person, perhaps the "Flame Slinger", pointed in a random direction. Actually, it wasn't random- it was toward Hot Dog! Gill Grunt, Flameslinger and the first pointy-eared person looked at him. They looked at him with curiosity rather than anger, but Hot Dog was still scared. The Gill Grunt walked toward him, looking very stern._

 _"Did you burn my tent down?" he asked._

 _"I think so," Hot Dog muttered. "I'm sorry."_

 _"Don't scare him, Gill Grunt," the first pointy-eared person yelled. She walked toward Hot Dog slowly, then knelt down to his level. She held out a hand toward him, and Hot Dog sniffed it. He smelled no anger on this person._

 _"We won't hurt you," she promised. "My name is Stealth Elf, and these are my friends Gill Grunt and Flameslinger. We're Skylanders, and we're currently on a mission. You must've stumbled upon our campsite."_

 _"Probably came from the eruption of the volcano a few hundred miles from here," Flameslinger suggested. "It was probably too far away for you normals to hear or feel, but I could see it in my dream. Ka-Pow!"_

 _Hot Dog was confused. He'd spent his life in a volcano- and volcanoes generally don't have the 24-hour news cycle. He wasn't sure what the Skylanders were. He wasn't sure what these strangers were doing here. All he was really certain of was what certain things were scary and not scary. So far, all of this was too new and too strange for him._

 _"You must be terrified," Stealth Elf insisted. "I know what that's like. I remember being in an unfamiliar place with no idea what to do. You can trust us."_

 _Flameslinger and Gill Grunt knelt down toward Hot Dog as well. "He's a fire dog," Flameslinger explained. "Young for his kind. I think he's too young to be out on his own yet. What happened to your parents?"_

 _Hot dog was surprised by his question, but he still answered, "I don't know. I see them one day, and next day they're gone."_

 _"So you've been on your own for a while?"_

 _Hot Dog nodded._

 _"We can't simply leave him here," Gill Grunt sighed. "Even if he burned down my tent. Stealth Elf, can we take him along?"_

 _"I'm not about to leave him behind, either," Stealth Elf confirmed. "You two can sleep in my tent tonight. We have to head out on our mission in the morning."_

Hot Dog had been scared then. It was the Skylanders that offered him the family he'd been searching for. All he'd wanted was to be loyal to his friends. He wanted to repay them for their kindness. He was probably more of a nuisance than anything else.

Hot Dog found his special place, which was a deep hole in the ground, and hid for a while. He thought about the mistake he'd made. Hot Dog wasn't sure why he couldn't hide his animal side when he was around Chop Chop. He was a dog! Dogs loved bones! They also loved to play. He figured that playing and the love of bones was a bad combination. It made people angry, and anger frightened him.

Hot Dog lost track of time. He suddenly looked up to see Terrafin looking in on him.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Hot Dog didn't feel like replying. He had been a bad dog. He figured that everyone would be mad at him for a long time. This could be evident in the lava monster known as Eruptor, who could be mad about something for weeks on end. Mad people were never nice.

"Chop Chop didn't mean what he said," Terrafin insisted. "He's been a Skylander longer than I've been alive. The years have made him stern."

No comment.

"His views on what Skylanders should be also changes season after season. It could be 'brave' one day, then 'loyal' the next. It always changes."

No comment.

"...It also looks like it's going to rain soon. We should get inside."

No comment.

"What are you getting mad at _me_ for?!"

 _Hot Dog_ was mad? He was never mad. Mad people weren't nice, and Hot Dog always tried to be nice. Anger could quickly turn a nice person into a mean person, after all. Did he appear mad to Terrafin?

"I'm not mad," Hot Dog replied finally. "I'm just upset."

"The word 'upset' can mean a lot of things," Terrafin insisted. "I take it that you're mad."

"I'm not mad," Hot Dog repeated. "Mad is bad."

"Nice rhyme. But you are mad. At the very least, you're mad at Chop Chop. He completely insulted you. You _have_ to be angry about that."

"Not mad. Not angry. Just want to be alone for a while."

"It's not a bad thing to be angry every once in a while."

Yes it was! Angry people weren't nice! Hot Dog wanted to be nice. In order to be nice, he couldn't be angry! He was aware that many people didn't want to be around an angry person. If Hot Dog were angry, nobody would want to be around him- and he would be alone again.

True to Terrafin's word, it did start raining. The rain fell down hard, several droplets evaporating on Hot Dog's body. He ignored the rain. It was a mere nuisance. In a few minutes, Hot Dog started to notice that the rainwater was collecting on the ground around his paws. Terrafin seemed to notice this as well, since he quickly dove in after Hot Dog. Grabbing him by the collar that he now wore, Terrafin dragged Hot Dog out of the hole, burrowing through the ground until reaching the top of the land. Hot Dog wrenched himself away from Terrafin, accidentally burning his hand in the process.

"Ow ow ow!" Terrafin gasped. "You can _definitely_ leave a mark, little doggie!"

"Don't touch me!" Hot Dog yelled.

Terrafin simply stared at him, and Hot Dog realized why. He had yelled at him. Angry people yelled. Hot Dog was angry. If he were angry, then he wasn't nice. Hot Dog wasn't nice! Realizing this error, Hot Dog ran away from Terrafin as fast as he could, guilt burning at his heart.

For the past few days, nobody had seen any signs of Hot Dog. Remnants of that night still lingered. Terrafin's hand was still bandaged from the burn Hot Dog had given him, and Hot Dog's once-lovely hole had turned into a pool of sorts. If Hot Dog were around, he'd see why Terrafin had pulled him out. If the water got too high, Hot Dog wouldn't be able to evaporate all of it. His eternal flame would be put out by the water, and he would've drowned.

But Hot Dog wasn't there. He was hiding in a deep thicket in the woods, hiding his grief. So far nobody had found him. He could only assume that people didn't care for him anymore. They'd heard of what he'd done to Terrafin out of anger. They wouldn't want to be around him anyway, because he was an angry person.

Here was Hot Dog. Alone.

He cried for several minutes. He never wanted to be alone. But he was alone. He never wanted to be angry. But he was angry. All he wanted was family. But his family had quickly turned away from him. Those were the last things that he wanted- and he had them anyway.

Hot Dog heard the rustling of leaves ahead of him. Something was coming toward him, and Hot Dog was afraid once again. The thicket in front of him was moved away, and the something that he'd feared turned out to be Chop Chop. Hot Dog tried to hide once again. Despite himself being an angry person, Hot Dog was still wary around Chop Chop.

"Terrafin! I found him!" Chop Chop called. "He's over here!"

 _Terrafin_ was here? But why? Why was Terrafin risking himself by looking for an angry person? Hot Dog could only watch as Terrafin came into view. The dirt shark's eyes looked at him with great shock.

"How long have you been here?" Terrafin asked.

Hot Dog noticed Terrafin's bandaged hand. He looked away with grief.

"I think he still feels guilty about what he did to you." Chop Chop suggested. "He's also angry, but he's only angry at himself."

Terrafin and Chop Chop knelt down toward him. "Everyone has been searching for you for days!" Terrafin explained. "We're all worried sick!"

"Why?" Hot Dog whimpered.

"Why? You really need to ask that?" Hot Dog, we all care about you so much. Why wouldn't we search for you?"

"Chop Chop said it himself. I'm mad. Nobody likes being around an angry person."

"Is _that_ what this is about?" Chop Chop asked. "People don't stay around someone who's angry so they can give him some space. They give him a chance to cool down. It's not worth causing your friends such grief because of some silly misconception."

"Hot Dog, I think I remember being in your position," Terrafin continued. "One time when I was still a new recruit to the Skylanders, Dino-Rang had agreed to spar with me. That probably hadn't been a good idea on his part- he'd been searching for something the entire night before and hadn't gotten any rest. During one part of the sparring session, he dozed off- and I delivered a knuckle sandwich square on his nose. Dino-Rang practically screamed at me after that- I'd never seen him like _that_ before. The initial shock frightened me enough, and I did exactly what you did- I ran off, and hid somewhere for a while."

"When did you come out?" Hot Dog asked.

"I forget, but I remember that Dino-Rang found me and apologized to me- which is something I have to do for you. Look, I'm sorry if I made you mad and scared you. That was not something I ever meant to do."

"But mad is-"

"I know, it's bad. But being angry is part of a family. We get mad, we scream at each other a little, then we apologize and move on. It's how we learn from each other."

"Funny way you people learn from each other," Chop Chop mused. "In any case, Hot Dog, I'm sorry for what I said about you. Certainly a Skylander who would be so worried about not upsetting his friends _must_ be loyal. And...would you like to play?"

"Would I!" Hot Dog cheered. He grabbed Chop Chop's leg and carried him off. Terrafin chased after them, shouting, "I found him!"

Hot Dog was no longer mad or guilty. He was relieved that he wasn't alone. Yes, he would've been happy with any family, but he was glad to have found the Skylanders family. Hot Dog had found a family so compassionate and so understanding, willing to see anyone as they are. He wouldn't want it any other way.


	3. Jet-Vac: Go With My Blessing

Chapter Three: Go With My Blessing

"Jet-Vac!" Chill cried. "Get out here! Everyvone's vaiting for you!"

Chill stood outside of Jet-Vac's room, waiting for the Sky Baron to open up. Today was the day of his initiation, and Jet-Vac had spent a long time preparing for the ceremony. He'd spent a really...really long time in there. Perhaps he was nervous? Well, everyone was nervous when they were initiated into the Skylanders, but this was something Chill had never seen.

Chill knocked on the door again. "Jet-Vac!" she yelled.

"I'm not ready!" a reply came. "I'm havin' difficulty choosin' the right uniform fer the occasion!"

"Jet-Vac, nobody cared vhat you look like. It's just one ceremony! It'll be over before you know it!"

"Chill, I'm becomin' a _Skylander_. That's a really big title! I have ta look my best! If ya want me out here so bad, why don't _you_ come in and help me?"

"I'll help you get out!"

Chill charged the door down, running into Jet-Vac's room. The room was a complete mess! The bed was unmade. The floor was covered by discarded clothes. The drapes had claw marks through them. The closet was wide open, and inside was Jet-Vac with his head between his knees, the eagle-like Sky Baron muttering something about it all being wrong.

" _Vhat_ happened in here!?" Chill gasped. "You usually have everything organized so carefully!"

Jet-Vac didn't reply. He shook his head between his knees. Chill looked closely at his beak, which seemed to look a little wet and shiny. Had he been crying? Why had he been crying?

"Vhat's wrong?" Chill asked.

"I...I don't deserve this!" Jet-Vac insisted. "I'm not a hero like the rest o' ya. I was merely doin' what I thought was right. No, I'm not ready!"

"Vhy do you think that!? Novone deserves this more than you! It's just first-day jitters that you feel. I remember my initiation. I had been so nervous that I nearly ran avay!"

"That's different, though! I want ta run, but I also want ta be a Skylander! I'm just so confused."

"Vell, maybe it vill help to think about vhat led you to this moment. Try that."

Jet-Vac lifted his head up, and nodded at her. That wasn't such a bad idea. That might help him cope. He shut his eyes, and started thinking about what had led him to this new moment:

 _It had pretty much started on the day that Jet-Vac received his magical wings. He had been ten at the time, and he had been as thrilled as the rest of his peers. It was customary for male Sky Barons to receive their wings and learn how to fly. Jet-Vac could remember the day as crystal clear as if it were yesterday. He had been excited- and also nervous._

 _"Are ya scared?" his mother had asked him. They were waiting in the city hall of Windham, Jet-Vac's homeland. One by one, the leader of their clan called up each of the ten-year-old boys to receive their wings. Soon it would be Jet-Vac's turn. It was an awful long list, as it was believed that a firstborn son was lucky in Windham. The waiting certainly didn't make Jet-Vac feel any braver._

 _He simply nodded after his mother asked the question._

 _"Yer father had been scared as well," his mother continued. "He was so nervous, he threw up the mornin' haggis he'd eaten that day!"_

 _"So is that why ya fed me a light breakfast!" Jet-Vac laughed, feeling slightly better._

 _"Partly, but that's also because we were runnin' late. Anyway, the moment he received his wings, yer father was overjoyed. He'd seen no reason ta be frightened. Don't worry, my son. Yer turn will come."_

 _After waiting several more minutes, Jet-Vac's name was called. He walked up to where the leader was standing. A long speech had been given by the leader- this part Jet-Vac couldn't remember as clearly, since the meaning of the speech was unfamiliar to him at the time. After the speech was over, Jet-Vac's father walked up to him. Pride in his eyes, his father gave Jet-Vac a magic bracelet that all of the boys had received so far. Putting on the bracelet, Jet-Vac could feel wings grow on his back. It had been painful, but the pain quickly ceased. Soon everyone stared in awe at Jet-Vac's new, black-tipped wings- same coloration as the feathers on his head._

 _"And now, we'll see how well the lad has observed his elders, by demonstratin' the talent he already has," the chief announced._

 _Talent? He'd just gotten his wings! He_ had _no talent! Sure, Jet-Vac had always watched the elder Sky Barons soar in the air, as it had always been his dream to do so. What could he learn by simply watching? Oh well, he might as well try._

 _Jet-Vac moved his wings a few times, getting used to the feeling of having them on his back. He then flapped his wings as hard as he could, and was slightly surprised that he was actually hovering off the ground. The initial surprise caused him to waver, but Jet-Vac quickly regained his posture and kept hovering. He hovered for several more minutes before aching wings forced him to touch his feet to the ground again._

 _He could only watch as the people looked at him with wide eyes. What was going on? Had he done something wrong? Had he completely screwed up, making himself to appear a fool? The last thing that anyone in Windham wanted was to be a fool. How had Jet-Vac quickly made himself a fool?_

 _"I've never seen a lad get off the ground that quickly," the leader mused._

 _So it wasn't foolishness that made everyone stare at Jet-Vac. Rather, curiosity toward him. Or perhaps wonderment? Right? Jet-Vac hoped that nobody thought he was a fool._

 _His hope reigned true when everyone stood up and applauded him. He couldn't believe it. Had his short flight really been that amazing? The applause made Jet-Vac feel good. He could only reply with a noble bow to the ground._

 _Over the next five years, Jet-Vac's flight skills improved greatly. Soon he was the best flier in all of Windham! He led his own regiment of Barons in border skirmishes in order to protect his home. Sometimes he'd be gone for days, simply flying around the countryside. He enjoyed flying, and sometimes he'd wish that every creature could have that experience._

 _But then a day came that changed Jet-Vac's life forever. On his fifteenth birthday, Windham had been raided. His own regiment hadn't been on guard duty for the borders- in fact, the birds that were supposed to be on guard that day decided to play hooky. Soon it didn't matter as the floods of raiders came in, attacking anything on sight. Every single regiment had been called to protect the citizens and get them to safety._

 _Jet-Vac fought with beak and claw, helping as many people as he could. He glanced toward a house that had been broken into, and rushed to see if there was anyone still inside. All of the valuables had been broken, and Jet-Vac looked in horror as he saw a young mother trying to defend herself against three giant, bloodthirsty raiders. She had opened a window, and was trying to urge her small children to safety._

 _He couldn't stand by and let this happen. But the mother had been backed into a corner, and there was no way out for her. Jet-Vac looked at his special bracelet, thinking about the consequences of his next decision. Trading wings with a female was unheard of, and it would only get them both in trouble. It would be even more trouble if the mother failed to save her children. His mind was made up._

 _"Ya brutes better stay 'way from the lass!" Jet-Vac cried._

 _They stared at him. He directed their attention away from the mother for a split second, and now they stomped toward him. Jet-Vac swiftly took his bracelet off and threw it in the air, and the bracelet was caught by the mother. Jet-Vac felt pain as his beloved wings shriveled off of his body, and he found himself kneeling on the ground._

 _The mother, baffled by the strange action, could only look at him with fear and confusion._

 _"Get yer kin out o' here!" Jet-Vac said through the pain. "Go! Go with my blessin'!"_

 _The mother nodded. She put the bracelet on, scooped her children up and flew out the window with newly-sprouted wings. It was a messy flight, but at least she had a chance. More of a chance than Jet-Vac had with these brutes, because the pain still lingered. It hadn't hurt this much when the wings had grown out of his back. Why did it hurt so much now?_

 _Jet-Vac dashed out of the house, with the three brutes following after him. He noticed that the battle outside was drawing to a close, with the raiders fleeing and dropping valuables to the ground. A Sky Baron looked back to see Jet-Vac getting chased- the other Sky Baron was his father. Jet-Vac's father rushed in to defend him as he tumbled to the ground, exhausted and in pain. His father swiftly took out the brutes, knocking them both unconscious. A crowd soon gathered around Jet-Vac, who now found himself in too much pain to get back up._

 _"Son, what did ya do!?" his father gasped._

 _"I gave my wings to a lass, a mother that was cornered...," Jet-Vac wheezed. "She needed 'em ta escape."_

 _"What did ya do that fer? Do ya know what happens if ya give yer wings away 'fore yer ready?"_

 _"Do you, Dad?"_

 _"Well...no. But I 'spose it can't be good! Look at ya! Yer in pain!"_

 _"She needed 'em...I had to!"_

 _"I believe ya, son. Just hang in 'ere, and I promise we'll find a way ta help ya!"_

 _"And I believe I know how," an unfamiliar voice promised. The crowd moved away, and a strange man with a white beard came forward. He knelt down toward Jet-Vac and whispered some kind of word that he didn't understand. Whatever the word was, its effects made Jet-Vac feel sleepy and made the pain dissipate. As Jet-Vac slid his eyes closed, he heard the strange man say to his father, "He'll be all right. And if you're willing, I have a proposal for your son..."_

A knocking on the door roused Jet-Vac from his thoughts. He opened his eyes, and looked to see Chill still sitting next to him. He got up and opened the door. Outside was a short, blue gremlin named Pop Fizz.

"Everyone's waiting for you," Pop Fizz told him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just gettin' ready," Jet-Vac replied. "I'm ready now."

"Okay, I was just making sure you were all right."

Jet-Vac gave a smile and walked out of his room, with Chill following after him. Chill whispered, "Are you all right, Jet-Vac?"

"I am now," Jet-Vac told her. "Thank ya fer comin' in. I needed the push."

Soon they made it to the center of the Citadel, and everyone applauded for Jet-Vac's long-overdue arrival. The ceremony was actually a lot like the day when Jet-Vac received his long-lost wings. Portal Master Eon, who was the man that had been at Windham the day of the raid, gave a speech. Jet-Vac could understand more of it now- it basically said that Jet-Vac was a good edition to the Skylanders, and that everyone can grow stronger with him around. Jet-Vac said a vow that meant he swore his allegiance to the Skylanders. At the end of it, Master Eon presented him with a gift that made Jet-Vac gasp with joy- a vaccum device that would allow him to fly again.

Now Jet-Vac soars higher than any Sky Baron ever had with wings. He never gives in to fear, which can only hold you back. He's aware that his good deeds were what attracted Master Eon's attention. He knows not to doubt himself.

It is often the noble who don't see themselves as noble.

 **In this chapter, I tried working with giving these characters dialects. (Stemmed from the idea long ago that Jet Vac had a Scottish accent)**


	4. Krypt King: A Home For Krypt King

Chapter Four: A Home For Krypt King

For centuries in Skylands, a wisp of darkness floated over the islands. It wasn't harmful to anyone. In fact, nobody noticed it- which was why it was a wisp.

The dark wisp was in fact a lonely spirit, long forgotten by the ages. His time period had faded from mortal memory long ago. The Underworld certainly remembered, but for some reason, he wasn't allowed down there, either. It had to be something important that the spirit had done in the past, but not even he could remember. And that was important, because the memory of who you were was important for manifesting as a ghost.

The spirit liked to think that he was a knight. Yes, he had been a valiant knight that had served his king greatly. Somehow he'd been dishonored, and had probably performed seppuku or something like that to get his honor back. Yes, he had been a knight!

But when the spirit looked down next, he was still simply a wisp. He didn't truly remember who he was. He'd only fabricated a story to make himself feel better. But, he would feel a lot better if he knew who he was.

He had no idea that one moment could change all of that.

One night, the spirit had flown several miles across an ancient island with no living people in sight. He was fatigued, the wisp sagging with his exhaustion. A basket would be preferable to hide in, but there were no baskets in sight. Well, that wasn't completely true. There were baskets in front of ancient tombs, but he'd rather not create another wisp by upsetting someone's ka. (The ka being a spirit's life energy in this part of Skylands.)

Eventually the spirit floated in front of a ruined building and collapsed into the shadow. He drifted into sleep, his dreams filled with fire and darkness as they always were. But tonight, the dreams held something else. The spirit saw a team of assorted creatures, all wearing the same T symbol, heading off to defend the peace. He saw a knight amongst them, wielding a large sword and joining his comrades with peace and safety in mind. Somehow, the spirit knew he wanted to join them, to be a part of something bigger that everyone could see.

The spirit then awoke to darkness. It wasn't the darkness of the shadow. No, he'd somehow ended up in the ruins of the building he'd collapsed by. He must've been sleepwalking again. The spirit never did this whenever he was in a basket. A basket was safe, and it made no purpose for an unintended movement.

Either way, he felt like he had intruded into this place. He sensed no ka nearby, nor were there wisps like him- not that he expected to see wisps like him. The spirit looked around, trying to find a way out of here. He saw no exit from where he came. How he'd managed to wander into the center of the ruin, the spirit had no clue.

So the spirit searched the ruin, looking for a way out. He went one way, then another, then the same place he'd gone before. All of the dead ends meant for grave robbers were exactly where the spirit was going. Great. Not only was the spirit forgotten, he was also lost. What a reputation, being a lost, forgotten spirit. Such a useless thing to be!

Nonetheless, he wandered around, looking for an exit. Eventually he found the treasure vault, the most useless room in the entire ruin for a wisp. What was he supposed to do with the glittery jewels and trinkets? The spirit's gaze lay on something that looked like a suit of armor. Sitting on a hill of gold, it looked beautiful, and it looked special. It had the shape of a sarcophagus, but was definitely made for a man. Without thinking, the spirit floated toward it. Maybe he could get inside of it? A suit of armor wouldn't be a terrible place for a lost, forgotten spirit to live.

So the spirit morphed inside, intending this place to be his home.

It wasn't a suitable home.

A sensation suddenly ripped through the wisp. This was a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time, and it wasn't a pleasant one. It spread all over him, his shadow screaming with it. This was a terrible sensation that had a name long forgotten to him. Was it...pain? Only the mortals felt pain. Pain wasn't for ghosts, let alone a forgotten wisp.

The sensation became worse and worse. The spirit was spreading across the suit, being pulled in directions he didn't know were possible for a wisp. If screaming were possible for a wisp, he would've done so gladly, because he really wanted to. He also wanted to cry, shed several tears, and beg for someone to come by and save him. That, of course, was impossible, but he nonetheless wanted that and an escape from the sensation.

Then the sensation stopped.

Everything stopped.

The spirit was left in suspended darkness. He wasn't aware of what was going on. Heck, he wasn't aware that anything had happened. It was like his senses had gone offline, and everything outside of him wasn't important. He only felt as if he were drifting in a black space, and didn't even have a sense to wonder if he would remain this way forever.

But his senses did return. The first one that did was his sense of hearing, and he heard some kind of siren going off. It was louder than heck, and it hurt his ears.

It hurt his ears? But wisps didn't have ears.

Wisps also didn't have eyes. But the spirit was opening those next. Everything looked blurry to the dazed spirit who felt like going back to sleep. Moving should wake him up. He tried floating- and found himself tumbling. He realized that he was hitting body parts- a head, a hand, a knee- on his way down. They all felt metal, and they all felt like a part of him.

The one thing that confirmed it was the loud groan he emitted.

Wisps couldn't speak, let alone groan.

The spirit moved a hand in front of his face. He looked down at feet. His feet, he realized. The suit of armor was him now. Somehow he'd bonded to it. He tried morphing out, but that only felt awkward.

But...why should he want to morph out? This was a body! His body! He was looking at his own two feet now! He hadn't had feet in centuries!

"She sells sea shells down by the sea shore..." the spirit spoke slowly, testing his voice. His voice! He had a voice now! The spirit continued, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog...I can speak now!"

Probably not very well by mortal standards, the spirit figured. Probably not very well by ghost standards, either. But that didn't matter to him! He could finally speak, maybe even get someone's attention!

The spirit heard the clanking of metal coming toward the treasure room. The blaring alarms suddenly became aware to him again. Oh right, there were alarms going off. The spirit got up, stumbling a little in an attempt to get fully used to his body.

He looked at the entrance, and saw several ancient machines rush in, weapons up. They were looking around for a thief. Oh man, he'd stolen this suit of armor. Not only was this ruin built with several dead ends to keep thieves from stealing treasure, they also had fully armored guards to attack anyone who managed to find their way here. It didn't take long for the randomly-moving suit of armor to get noticed by the machines.

"Intruder alert!" a robotic voice said. "Drop the gold at once!"

"That sounds so generic," the spirit replied. "Why not say, 'Hey buddy, could you please put the gold down?' That would be so much nicer."

"Drop the gold at once!"

"I don't think I can. I'm bonded to this suit. I can't get out."

"Failure to cooperate. Target and destroy."

The machines didn't waver, and directly attacked him with large swords. The spirit jumped out of the way, landing hard on his knees behind a pile of treasure. There was no talking to these machines. They were completely generic in their programming, only suited to guarding this hoard of useless treasures and trinkets.

But there was something in the pile that the spirit was hiding behind. It looked like a handle. The spirit pulled it out, and found a large sword in his hands. The rattling he'd made alerted the machines, and they rushed over to where he was. The spirit swung the sword over his head, slicing at one of the machines. A head had been cut off of the victim robot, as well as a shoulder and arm attached. The rest of the machine fell to the ground.

Despite the loss of a comrade, the machines didn't stop attacking the spirit. They pressed on him harder and harder, making him block their attacks as well. Eventually they all fell to the might of the spirit's sword, but none of them counted for a fallen ally in the midst of battle before they fell. Robots were scary!

The spirit also found his way out of the ruin- by slicing a hole from the wall. He promptly stepped out after that was done. The spirit looked back toward the machines, and felt several pangs of guilt. He'd forced them to attack, to follow their programming. Keeping in mind that they'd also scared him with their lack of humanity. Even ghosts knew the difference between right and wrong.

He was free. He could do whatever he wanted. He could be noticed by everyone in the world now. The spirit had a handy sword to match. So he could also protect himself as well.

So...what was he supposed to do now? The spirit now had a defined purpose in this world. He had the ability to do something with this body and sword. But what exactly was he supposed to do?

The spirit walked on, traveling the path he'd been on before resting near the ruin. Gosh, he had no way of knowing how much time had passed. Usually he could tell by watching the trends of the mortals change. But there wasn't a mortal in sight! Perhaps if he kept walking, he could figure it out.

The walking continued for a while, and eventually the spirit reached a quarry. The edge of the island was straight ahead, far away but still clearly seen. The spirit turned toward the quarry instead. He kept walking, until he heard the sounds of a struggle. That was when he started running toward the source of the sound. The spirit made a sudden stop toward a clearing in the quarry, where it looked like a rockslide had occurred. Two people were holding a large slab of rock up. One of them would be best described as a mole person that was indigenous to the dephs of Mount Scorch. The other was a Metallanian robot, a feminine model to be specific. He could hear their arguing from over here.

"This is great, Gearshift!" the mole cheered. "You're doing great!"

"I'm doing EVERYTHING!" the robot yelled.

"Oh, don't be like that. I'm helping you hold the block up."

"And that is all you are doing. If you _really_ wanted to help, you could duck under and grab the petrified kid out of there before I lose the strength in my servos."

"I wish I could. Neither of us is strong enough to hold the block up on our own. The minute one of us lets go is the minute we make a child pancake, and I don't want to do that."

"What are you talking about? You're the strongest person I know!"

"But this is a really heavy rock!"

There was a child underneath the rock? That was why they were arguing? The spirit started rushing over to their aid. He probably shouldn't stress his body so much. He literally just got it, and he'd just fought a bunch of generic robots to boot. Oh well, he was already by their side at this point, grabbing onto the side of the rock that the mole was holding up.

"I've got it! I've got it!" the spirit groaned. "You two looked like you needed aid."

"...Thanks," the mole said, although stumped at first. More cheerfully, he added, "Gearshift, you can let go and swipe the kid out now."

"Aw, that's sweet," the robot, Gearshift, said with dripping sarcasm. "You think I'm going to let a snot-nosed brat get her mitts on my new paint job."

"Oh fine, I'll do it!"

The mole turned toward the spirit. "You said you had it?" he asked.

"Pretty much..." the spirit replied, less sure of his abilities than before.

"Okay. I'm going to let go now. I want you- I _need_ you- to hold this up with all of the strength in your body. Ready?"

"...Sure..."

The mole let go of the rock. During the weight shift, the spirit let the rock drop a little before picking it back up with full strength again. The kid underneath wasn't squished- she made her presence known with a squeal followed by muffled sobbing. The spirit felt guilty about torturing the child like that.

All the more reason to hold this thing up.

"Are you holding this thing up at all?" the spirit asked Gearshift.

"Don't you dare ask me that!" Gearshift yelled. "Of course I am! I've been holding this thing up for a solid ten minutes! If I seem cranky right now, it's solely because of that."

A cranky robot was better than a completely generic one. The spirit liked the fact that she had a personality.

But he didn't like the fact that this rock was as heavy as heck. Even with Gearshift's help, it was hard to keep the rock from falling. The spirit couldn't remember doing anything this hard, but it had been a long time since he'd had a body. No matter what he felt, he couldn't let his strength fail him.

The mole ducked underneath the rock. More sobs from the child could be heard, but the spirit could hear the mole consoling the frightened child. Slowly, they crawled out from under the rock. Only when the mole stood up, child in his arms, did Gearshift and the spirit drop the rock.

"That was harder than I'd hoped it would be," the mole sighed. "Thank you both for cooperating."

"Thank this stranger for coming when he did, Wallop," Gearshift insisted. "If he hadn't come, well..."

The spirit didn't answer. He looked over his body, relieved that he hadn't worn it out any more than he already had. He got up and started to walk away. But Gearshift ran over to him and blocked his path.

"I mean it," she said. "We really do thank you for helping out. If you hadn't come by, we really might've received a kid pancake."

"It wasn't anything special," the spirit insisted. "I just felt like I had to help."

"I can reassure you that this action _was_ special. My friend Wallop and I had been scouting the area when we saw the girl get caught underneath a landslide. We rushed in and kept the slab of rock from falling on her. She would've died if you hadn't come over to help us."

"Thanks, I guess."

"What's your name?"

The spirit was taken aback. It had been a long time since someone had confirmed his existence, let alone asked him what his name was. He hadn't rehearsed the moment when he told someone his name, mainly because he couldn't remember it. Besides, what were the odds that anyone would've had the ability to see a forgotten wisp?

Thanks to this body, everyone could.

"I-I can't say," the spirit stammered.

"You can't say, or you can't remember?" Gearshift asked.

That was certainly a strange question.

"I've been around for centuries," the spirit replied. "If I had a name, I don't remember it."

"Why don't I call you Krypt King?" Gearshift decided.

"Where do you get that name from?"

"It was from a story that my teacher at the Skylanders Academy told me. Well, he stated it more like a prophecy than an actual story."

"What did he say?"

"He said that in a time of great peril, when the forces of evil composed of all eight Elements, a great team of Skylanders would come to set things right. An Undead Knight named Krypt King had been mentioned as one of those said Skylanders."

"I don't think I should take his name, then. I'm hardly worthy of bearing a name that's part of a prophecy, if your teacher is correct- and I'm sure he's correct. What would happen if the actual Krypt King came to fulfill the prophecy, and everyone got him confused for me?"

"The thing is..."

Wallop walked over to them, the child no longer in his arms and instead running toward a group of archaeologists that were of her species. "Gearshift, we have to go," he insisted. "There are archaeologists coming by that say they know the girl's parents. We should accompany them."

"I'm coming, but stay here a moment," Gearshift insisted. "Wallop, take a close look at this guy."

Wallop squinted at the spirit, and replied, "What do you see in him?"

"Wh-what do you mean by that?!" a flustered Gearshift gasped. The spirit knew that if she could blush, she'd be doing that right now.

"I mean, why is he suddenly so important? Sure, he helped us, but I don't see..."

Wallop didn't finish the sentence. He widened his eyes at the spirit, then continued, "You think he's part of the special story that your teacher told you? Gearshift, I didn't think you were one for prophecies."

"Just because I'm a robot, it doesn't mean I can't believe in a prophecy," Gearshift retorted. "He fits the same depiction that my teacher gave him. My teacher drew a bunch of pictures for me to analyze, and he fits the picture of the Undead knight from the prophecy."

"Oh no no no, I'm sure that knight could be anywhere," the spirit insisted, lifting his hands up to defend himself. All this talk of a prophecy scared him. Had he somehow stolen the knight's armor? Had the spirit of the kight left the armor for a quick moment, only to have it stolen by a wisp? Perhaps the knight had been a solid-formed ghoul, and had been able to leave the suit of armor as he pleased. In the spirit's lust for a body, he had completely ignored the idea that someone must still own the armor.

But why would someone leave their precious armor in such an old ruin? There were plenty of smart grave robbers that could've stolen it. The armor would've had a better hiding place in a more reliable area, like a bear trap for example. The spirit hadn't sensed another lingering ghost, or even the evidence of a lingering ghost. He hadn't sensed any evidence of a lingering ghost on the armor- but he might've had time for that if he hadn't been so stupid to bond with the armor.

"How are you so sure that you're not him?" Gearshift asked the spirit. "Unless you know a secret part of the prophecy that my teacher never told me."

"This is the first I'm hearing of a prophecy, but I can assure you that I'm not him," the spirit insisted, practically begging. "Didn't your friend say you should talk to the archaeologists?"

Gearshift looked somber. "I guess we should get going now," she sighed. "I hope we see each other later...Krypt King."

 _Please don't call me that._

Darkness fell, and the spirit had wandered into the farther parts of the quarry. He struggled to get out of the armor that he'd so foolishly bonded with. He didn't need to be accused of theft. He didn't want a body anymore. He didn't want people to notice him for something he wasn't. He didn't want a false destiny thrust on his shoulders, a destiny that he'd probably stolen from someone else.

The sword he'd acquired laid on a nearby rock. As the spirit struggled to get out of the armor, he slipped into the sword.

The sensation wasn't as drastic and horrible as the bond he'd forged with the armor. It was more of a quick, tingling sensation that only lasted for a couple seconds. After it was over, the feeling of the limbs he'd had all day were gone. Now he felt the handle and the blade of the giant sword. Plus, his sight had been replaced with a sixth sense that allowed him to feel the world around him.

Being in the sword was no better than being in the armor. The sword was definitely associated with the armor in the eyes of Gearshift and Wallop. And the spirit couldn't go far as an inanimate object. He tried to move, tried to get out of the sword and back to Undead life as a wisp. The sword moved with his effort, and the spirit was suddenly launched back into the armor with the horrible tingling sensation of a bond.

The sensation ceased immediately, and the spirit was back where he started. His sight had returned, as well as the feeling of the limbs. He gave a loud groan of frustration.

"What's wrong, Krypt King?" a familiar voice asked, making the spirit jump. He turned around to see Gearshift walking toward him. She held a flashlight in her hand, as well as some slips of paper.

"How long have you been standing there?" the spirit asked.

"Long enough to wonder if you were having a stroke."

"If that's the case, then why didn't you come down earlier?"

"I didn't want to embarrass you if that wasn't the case."

"I'm pretty embarrassed now."

"Sorry. But I'm glad you were just practicing your special powers, though. In the prophecy, the Undead knight was said to possess his sword and control it like that."

The spirit groaned. "That's not me!" he insisted. "Whoever you think that is, it's not me."

"Just take a look at this," Gearshift pleaded. She shoved the paper into the spirit's face. The paper had a picture depicting the knight wearing the armor that the spirit possessed, the giant sword hovering above the ground.

"Doesn't that look like you?" Gearshift asked.

It certainly did. "It doesn't mean anything," the spirit insisted. "People look alike to one another."

"Heck! Why are you so insistent on avoiding the fact that you're in this prophecy?"

"I know that's not me! I...I think I stole this armor."

Gearshift scoffed. "Oh, so you apprehended the Undead knight and stole his armor?" she asked sarcastically. She concluded with an even more sarcastic, "Oh no, we have a _thief_ on the loose!"

"I'm a wisp," the spirit insisted. "I'm a forgotten remnant of a time far from even my memory. I was traveling around Skylands, and I happened upon a ruin that contained the sword and this suit of armor in the treasure room. I was going to hide inside the armor, but I bonded with it."

"You're afraid that the Undead knight from the prophecy left his armor there?"

Nod.

"If that's the case, then that's a stupid move on his part."

"But he's part of this special prophecy! I stole his armor."

"You're getting worked up over nothing. That armor was meant for you. You were meant to find it, to bond with it. I've run diagnostics in my head that prove this!"

Gearshift sighed. "Oh great, now I'm thinking like the robot I am just to get the point across to you."

"But you're human enough," the spirit insisted. "I saw a few other robots before I met you. they scared me by the way they acted so much like emotionless drones. I'm glad you have emotions."

"Emotions can be a pain. But if you're glad, then I know I'm grateful to have them. Krypt King, I know you're part of the prophecy. Why don't you come back with me to see the Skylanders? We could always use you in another pinch."

He was being offered a chance to be part of something. He was being offered a home. The spirit had always hoped to be a knight. He looked down, catching sight of his hands and legs. For once in centuries, he had actual limbs. The spirit recounted the dream about the team of creatures and the knight among them. Maybe that was the knight that Gearshift was talking about, the knight that he was supposed to be. If that was the case, then he couldn't run from destiny any longer.

"I would be honored," Krypt King decided. "Lead the way, Gearshift."


	5. Tree Rex: A Guardian For Nature

Chapter Five: A Guardian For Nature

It was a particularly hot day at the Core of Light. Several Skylanders could swear that the rocks were melting. To match with the heat, it was also quite muggy outside, due to a rainstorm occurring the night before. It wasn't particularly favorable weather, and many Skylanders had voted to go on scouting missions- preferring to go to places that were cool and windy. However, a handful of Skylanders decided to stay despite the bad weather.

Camo had wanted help replanting his garden, and many of the other Life Skylanders agreed to do so. He'd gotten the seeds for the plants, and Stealth Elf had brought the tools.

"I suppose we all have our pick on which tools we want to use in order to make plots for the garden," Stealth Elf replied. "There are plenty in the toolshed."

"How come?" Stump Smash asked.

"I...really don't know. But there weren't just tools in there- I also found Chop Chop's sword and shield!"

"It probably belongs to him. We can't be in there!"

"Don't worry, mon," Zook said nonchalantly. "We worry 'bout dat when da time comes. And ya know Chop Chop hates da weathah, too."

"That sounds logical enough," Camo agreed. "Chop Chop will probably be out on a mission until sunset, when it's cooler outside. In fact, I think a lot of the others will be out there for a long period of time until its cooler. Won't _they_ be surprised to see the garden!"

"I call the rake!" Stealth Elf replied, running toward the tools she'd set on the ground.

The new recruit, Shroomboom, pulled out another tool, shouting, "I call the hoe!"

"Ha ha! Ho ho ho, mon!" Zook laughed.

"Not that kind of hoe, Zook! Oh wait, I'm too short."

"I call the mushroom!" Stump Smash shouted, picking up Shroomboom with his mallet-like hands. Shroomboom seemed to enjoy the decision. Now he could lift up the hoe and use it at the same time while Stump Smash led him around.

"And I call-" Zook pulled out a random tool- "Da scissah thingies!"

"They're called hedge clippers," Camo explained. "Hey Zook, can you help put the plow on my back? I want to start making plots."

While they worked, the Giant known as Tree Rex watched on. He was happy to see these Skylanders working together. Tree Rex remembered the days when he and his allies fought to protect Skylands from the tyranny of the Arkeyans. He was glad that the newest generation of Skylanders still believed in teamwork. Sure, they had their arguments now and then, but they were still a closely-knit team.

Tree Rex closed his eyes in recollection.

 _A large forest covered a small island on the outskirts of Skylands. Above it was a magical stream, that fell down to create a river below. The river flowed around the trees, bringing them water and life. Animals shared in this life- among them were eagles, lizards, squirrels and cats. Fish also swam in the river, eating smaller fish and algae. Everything was perfect in that forest._

 _But then a race of robots called the Arkeyans cleared away some of the trees and set up a factory. The factory built machines that helped them in their conquest of Skylands. The factory was also a pollutant. Magic waste spilled into the river, infecting every creature and mutating it- the eagles grew arms and became Sky Barons, the fish grew arms and legs and became Gillmen, the lizards and cats grew wings and became dragons and sphinxes, and the squirrels lost their tails and grew out their ears and became gremlins. The trees, the one-beautiful trees, became distorted and lost the ability to grow leaves._

 _One tree, the largest of the trees, turned the effects of the magic waste around to benefit it. It had wanted to protect the other trees and animals, but its roots had been sown into the ground for years. Using the effects of the magic, the tree lifted itself out of the ground, grew arms and legs, horns on its head, and created two beautiful deep blue eyes. With the eyes, the tree could see the factory that had caused all this mutation. The tree walked over, and with one stomp, smashed it into the ground._

 _With these new abilities, the tree roamed around Skylands, hoping to find more of these factories to smash to itty bitty pieces. It found that smashing the factories was not just helpful, but also kind of fun as well. The tree, although upset with the mutation, learned to live with the changes. The mutated animals in its forest learned from it as well, and were able to set up their own societies on separate islands. If the tree could do it, why couldn't they?_

 _On it's quest, the tree learned many things. It learned so much about the world, too much to think about in one night. Human feelings were one of the things that the tree learned about, hoping that it could relate more to the innocents if it knew what they were feeling. Those innocents often felt scared, angry, and then they felt grateful when they were rescued. The tree realized that it had those feelings as well, when it thought about them hard enough. Always there, always part of you._

 _A well-known feeling that the tree often had was a feeling called "loneliness"_

 _One night, the tree looked over a wide valley, making sure everything was safe. The creatures of the valley were "badger-like" and known as "Mabu." These creatures were the creatures subjected to slavery by the robots, which the tree had learned to be "Arkeyans." It didn't look like the Arkeyans had found this peaceful valley yet. For that, the tree was glad- and worried. What if they eventually found it-_ tonight?

 _"Hello!" a random voice said._

 _The tree stiffened, which should've felt normal for it. The voice was new, and strange, and made the tree feel frightened. It should've been alone out here. The tree turned its head, and saw next to it- of all things- a robot! The robot had a wheel, as well as overly-sized index fingers. The coloring of the robot was familiar to the tree, and it looked like this robot was part of the Arkeyan race!_

 _This robot couldn't possibly want anything good. The tree lifted up its right fist, and smashed down on the robot. However, the robot had leapt out of the way, and then shot something out of one of the index fingers. As the tree tried to figure out what the projectile was, the distraction had allowed the projectile to hit it in the eye. The tree stepped back, and out of instinct it touched a hand to the eye that was hit. A sensation flooded around the tree's eye- pain, was it?_

 _The tree smashed down again, but perhaps a "Depth perception" problem caused it to miss the robot again. The robot held up his hands in a sign unfamiliar to the tree, but by looking into the robot's eyes, the tree could see that the robot wanted it to stop. The tree kept its arm held up threateningly, ready to hit the robot if it was given another reason to._

 _"Relax, dude!" the robot cried. "Or...dudette? Which one are you?"_

 _Dude? Dudette? These terms were unfamiliar to the tree. It lowered its arm and looked on in confusion. What could the robot possibly be talking about?_

 _"Oh man, we have a problem here," the robot muttered to nobody in particular. "Okay, listen to this._ I _am a dude, a male being. A dudette, or female, generally is more shapely and pretty than a male. Which one are you?"_

 _Male and female made more sense. The tree knew that the animals in its forest had been either male or female. Those were "genders," it knew. What gender_ was _it? The tree could only shrug._

 _"You don't know?" the robot gasped. "Well...I don't know what to think of that. Hey, you know, when a person says 'hello' to you, they often want to hear a 'hello' back. Maybe if you speak, I can hear what gender you sound like?"_

 _Could the tree speak? It had heard the innocents speak, often telling it thanks for their rescues. Well...it could think. If it could think, why couldn't it speak? Maybe it could, but then...how do you speak?_

 _"Okay then, well, I'm sure you know what it sounds like," the robot guessed. "Say 'hi' to me."_

 _How hard could it be? The tree reached into its throat, and uttered, "...Hi..."_

 _"Thank you," the robot said with a sigh. "Your voice sounded pretty deep. Males generally have that. I think you're male."_

 _Was that true? Was the tree male? That sounded right. It was male. No,_ he _was male._

 _"You're a full-blown mountain man, aren't you?" the robot laughed._

 _"...What is that...?" the tree asked._

 _"A mountain man is a man that lives in the mountains. This valley is in between mountains. But now that I think about it, you act more like an out-of-touch caveman than a mountain man."_

 _"...What do you want?"_

 _"Why do you ask that?"_

 _The tree lifted up his hand, ready to smash down again._

 _"Ohhh...I see why you're confused," the robot gasped in realization. "No, I'm not one of those Arkeyans. Well, I was, but I defected from them. They weren't doing very nice things, so I left."_

 _"You simply left?" the tree asked._

 _"No. There's no simple way to leave the Arkeyans. They're on my back. I'm hiding from them in this valley."_

 _"You're going to bring them here!"_

 _The tree smashed his hand on the ground. This time he hit the robot. But the robot retaliated with a strange light out of his eyes. The light hit the tree's left arm- and it hurt! The tree clutched his arm in pain, trying to cushion the wound._

 _The robot seemed to realize his mistake. "Did I hurt you?" he asked. "I'm sorry! I was only trying to guard myself!"_

 _"Go away!" the tree yelled._

 _"But-"_

 _"LEAVE!"_

 _The tree felt angry now. Angry at what the robot was going to do, and angry at what the robot had already done. First it was his eye, and now it was his arm! He didn't even want to look at the arm wound. However, his own wounds were the least of his problems- the robot would lead the Arkeyans to this peaceful valley._

 _Despite the tree's command, the robot didn't leave. Instead, he stood around and said, "Let me look at your arm."_

 _The tree pulled back._

 _"Let me! Please!"_

 _The word "please" was a good word. "Please" was a polite way of telling someone to do something for them. The tree had often heard innocents say, "Please help me!" or "Please don't let them take my family away!" It sounded like the robot wanted the tree to do something, and that something was to allow the robot to look at his arm. Sighing, the tree took his hand off the wound, immediately feeling pain. A burn could be seen, and some of his bark peeled off._

 _"I don't think it's that bad," The robot said. "Your bark will grow over that spot."_

 _"What do you know about trees?" the tree spat. "Idiot."_

 _"So it won't grow over the spot?"_

 _"No, it will. That's not why you're an idiot."_

 _"Oh, and why am_ I _an idiot? Because I'm possibly leading the Arkeyans to this valley, is that why? You know, sometimes I hear them talking about a person destroying their factories and freeing their slaves. I think that's you- how do_ you _know they're not following you as well?"_

 _How_ did _he know? He_ didn't _know, did he? He didn't know if the Arkeyans were following him, just as much as he didn't know anything else. He could be leading the Arkeyans to the valley. It wasn't just the robot, then, was it?_

 _The tree turned away from the robot, with another, "Go away." He shut his eyes, and could feel something run down his face. It was a kind of runny sap, and it only kept falling. His version of tears, the tree knew. He'd seen the innocents shed tears when they were sad, or sometimes shed tears of joy when they reunited with their families. These were tears of sadness that he was shedding._

 _He heard the robot come next to him again. "Don't cry, I'm sorry." the robot stammered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."_

 _The tree wanted to spat, 'Too bad! You did!' But he could only pout when he tried to bring those words out. He wanted the robot to go away, to leave him alone. Then...he'd always be alone. Nobody would know how upset he felt._

 _"Hey, we're_ both _idiots," the robot declared. "Neither of us has any idea if we're endangering the valley! One single idiot can't look out for himself alone."_

 _That was obviously an attempt to make the tree feel better. But why did_ he _care? The tree was a complete stranger to him! Why did he care about a complete stranger?!_

 _"I'm sure you didn't mean to endanger these people," the robot continued. "You wouldn't have attacked me if you didn't think I'd hurt them."_

 _How did_ he _know? Sure, the tree wouldn't have done that if he'd known, but how could the robot know that?_

 _"All you want to do is protect these people, isn't that right?" the robot asked. "If you can easily smash a factory, I'm sure smashing these people would be like smashing grapes! But you're not like that, are you?"_

 _"How do you_ know!? _" the tree finally wailed._

 _"I can tell. You seem like a pretty nice dude- a dude, since we cleared up the whole gender thing. I just know, okay?"_

 _"Well...you're right."_

 _"I am? I know I can tell, but there's always a chance that I'm_ wrong _!"_

 _"I'm sorry for hurting you."_

 _The robot was taken aback, and the tree knew why. Why should the tree apologize after all of this?_

 _The tree wiped the tears from his face. "Maybe...we can work together to protect these people," he thought. "You're a pretty good fighter. The Arkeyans would hate it if one of them was protecting the innocents."_

 _"You know what, that doesn't sound like a bad idea," the robot agreed. "Hey, I'm Bouncer. What's your name?"_

 _The tree somewhat knew names. Names were things that objects were given to distinguish them from other objects. Names separated "grass" from "lake", and even separated two individuals of the same species from one another. The tree didn't have a name. Did he? Oh well, he'd already learned so much tonight._

 _"My name is Tree Rex," the tree decided._

Tree Rex opened his eyes, and looked down to see the Life Skylanders finishing up on the plots. A lot of time must've passed. How long had he been sitting like this?

"I think we should moisten the ground before we put any seeds in," Camo decided. "Hey Tree Rex!"

"Yeah?" Tree Rex asked.

"We need water! Do you know the water area of the Core of Light? We want you to scoop up some water and pour it on our plots!"

"Okay, I've got it."

Being a Giant, Tree Rex was able to get the water in a few seconds. He held his hands over the garden plots. "Is this good?" he asked.

"Yah, dat's good!" Zook hollered. "Now pour it all ovah, mon!"

"No, not all over!" Stump Smash quickly said.

His words weren't quick enough. Tree Rex already dumped the water from his hands and onto the ground. The plots were soon filled with water, and the Life Skylanders were drenched.

"Oops," Tree Rex muttered.

"No, it's okay, Tree Rex," Stealth Elf insisted, moving her damp hair from her eyes. "We actually needed a refreshing dip!"

"I've always thought of starting a rice garden," Camo shrugged.

"Thank you, Tree Rex!" Shroomboom called up.

Tree Rex smiled. Sure, the Skylanders always had disagreements. But they were all good enough friends to get past those.

 **Haven't updated in a while. School started up again for me. But I will still be looking at this site as often as possible.**

 **Hey, it's October. Do you guys have any specific Undead Skylanders that you want me to write about?**


	6. Hex: Change

**As per my last author's note, I have decided to take requests from you concerning Undead characters. This first one is for Litefox, though I did find this one a bit difficult to write. Tell me what you think.**

Chapter Six: Change

The elven sorceress looked at her body. Her skin had turned white. Her dress had turned dark. Her demeanor had changed significantly. She found herself angry at what she saw now.

Her fingers felt cold. Her ears felt cold. The one thing the elf wanted back more than anything was her body temperature. Oh how the living take that for granted. It was the one thing that showed that you were truly alive. Not just a surviving creature, but you were actually _alive and free._

The elf wanted to cry. She wanted her life back. But here, in front of this skeletal man, it was inappropriate to do so. She couldn't let herself show weakness in front of others like she used to. That was how the beast saw her as a target for his nefarious plans.

"I know it can be a hard adjustment...," the skeleton stammered. He wore dark clothes as well- that seemed to be the norm for all Undead residents- but his suit had red highlights in certain places. His skull was decorated in the same way, as if for a celebration. And despite being Undead, he had been more than happy to welcome the elf into the Underworld.

"Save it," the elf grumbled. "I don't need sympathy."

"I just want to help you in any way I can. All new arrivals come in frightened and angry. You are no different."

"I'm not supposed to be dead. Not yet."

"Cursed, then? All living creatures who come down here without protection are often cursed to forever be Undead. They retain their physical forms, like you have, but they aren't-"

"Alive? Yeah, I can tell."

"Could you tell me what happened?"

The elf walked away from him. (No, floated. Her magic caused her to float.) She had decided that she was tired of his nonsense. Besides, there were more important matters to attend to. The people needed to know what had transpired down here.

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

Her name was of no worth to her anymore. She wasn't the same- she didn't even feel the same.

"It's Hex," the elf said.

 _Long ago, before the idea of entering the Underworld ever crossed her mind, Hex had been a masterful sorceress. Her friends and family had seen it as a strange idea. Elves weren't particularly known for their magical capabilities- they were tied to the trees and the plants, and didn't really have any use for spells. But Hex couldn't get the idea out of her mind. She just_ had _to learn as much magic as she possibly could._

 _And learn she did. She practiced day and night on spells and incantations found in the best spell books. Hex learned quicker than she had anticipated, and soon outshined even the best in her guild. Her family discovered that she really was different from other elves- there was magic already tapped inside of her heart, ready to be channeled through her soul._

 _Everyone in Skylands could see it._

 _Even the most foul-hearted beasts._

 _Malefor had his own kingdom to look over. The Dragon King of the Underworld was busy collecting dragons to work in his mines or armies, but simply transferring eggs to his kingdom was no easy task. Cursed by undead magic, the embryos would quickly die, their souls unable to manifest in complete tangible ghosts. He had no use for those. Despite that, simply raising dragons in his territory at Concurrent Skies wasn't fast enough for him- he would be able to conquer all of Skylands, and he knew he could do it much faster than this._

 _When he noticed how powerful Hex had become, Malefor's interest in her peaked at its highest levels. She was such a spirited young girl. Her powers were matched by the energy she had inside of her. He had never seen anything like it. Maybe Hex could put protection spells on the eggs his henchmen collected from Skylands in order to bring them into the Underworld._

 _Of course, it wasn't a matter of asking about it. Malefor didn't like asking permission._

 _Her guild masters noticed it right away. Malefor's armies were attacking the islands, demanding that all spell casters be brought into their clutches at once. The guilds had to get away. Hex didn't even say goodbye to her family as her guild ran away from their small island home, hiding from the ever-watchful eye of the horrid beast that wanted the sorceress for himself._

 _They were always hiding. Hex couldn't spend a week in the same place without having to move once more. The guild had a few close calls once or twice, but somehow, they managed to get away. It was a hard life, always on the run. Hex's magic had weakened during this time- she wanted her home back, not to keep running away forevermore. Malefor's hunt never ceased to relent, and the guild kept moving as fast as they could._

 _Hex eventually grew sick of it. She wanted out of this circle of running and hiding! Though her magic was too weak for a protection spell, Hex traveled down into the bowels of the Underworld, deeper and deeper until she reached Malefor's terrible kingdom. The beast showed himself, a smile growing on his cracked lips. He'd spent years after this one sorceress, and now she decided to bring herself to him on a silver platter. It shouldn't be too hard to bring her into his kingdom._

 _A flurry of emotions had hit Hex the moment she entered the Underworld. Fear, confusion, joy- the strongest turned out to be anger. Hex unleashed her fury upon Malefor in a huge display of her magical ability. Spell after spell, curse after curse, she threw it all after Malefor. Not a single lick of fire touched her during this fight, no matter how hard the beast tried. After a long, arduous battle, Malefor cracked and was pushed back farther down into the Underworld, deeper than any dark spirit had ventured. The dragon slaves that had lived in the kingdom were finally allowed to go free._

 _Hex had been on her way back up when that skeleton crossed paths with her. He'd announced himself to her, welcoming her into the Underworld as if she was to be a new member here._

 _No protection spell._

 _Apparently she_ was _a new member here._

Hex traveled into a small city in the Underworld. She wasn't sure why she had come here- her intention was to leave this dark foreboding place. She'd lost herself in the memory, probably. The fight had only happened a few minutes ago- it was far too early to lament about that. Of course, that would be the case if her life hadn't changed forever.

She couldn't control her anger. Nothing had set her off, and yet she felt angry. Was this how the Undead felt? Eternally angry, with nothing to look forward no and no rays of sunshine to see? Hex didn't wish to spend eternity like this. Despite finding that she no longer needed air, Hex took in deep breaths to try and cool her wrath. It didn't help.

Trumpets could be heard in the distance. Hex retreated to the sidewalk, where she was soon swept away in a crowd of giddy ghouls and skeletons. This certainly didn't look like the grumpy crowd Hex had expected- something truly amazing had to be coming their way. She poked her head out of the throng to find a large carriage of gold and silver ride down, carried by skeletal horses. A man sat inside the carriage, himself also a skeleton. He waved to the people, and the people were more than quick enough to wave back.

Hex found herself disappointed. She'd seen her fair share of noblemen during her years of hiding. The awe was lost to her. They had all turned out to be phonies, anyway. She certainly expected no less from this gentleman. She found herself angry at the ghouls now, for they were so enamored with this fake, pompous fool.

The carriage seemed to stop directly in front of her. The skeleton jumped out, pulling her out of the crowd and shaking her hand. He wore the gaudiest pieces of clothing and jewelry, and his face was somehow able to grow a moustache. (Though Hex was almost certain that he glued it on himself.)

"Hello my dear!" the man greeted her. "Hello dear denizens of the Underworld! Revel in my glorious glory! Your heroic hero has arrived!"

A wave of cheering sounded upon Hex's ears- they still retained their same, elfish sensitivity. Were these people all stupid?

"But I am not the only one who has arrived today," the man continued. He directed his attention toward Hex and said, "You must be the young lady that my top musician told me about. I am Count Moneybone, and I welcome you to our humble little piece of Skylands."

"He told you about me?" Hex asked. "I just got away from him."

"Well everyone _does_ have the latest cellphone models nowadays- all information is given to me via text, quick as lightning. Although Fiesta does tend to prefer calling me about such issues- rather annoying really. My true purpose for speaking with you is that I would like you to come back with me to my mansion for a while, to help you adjust to your current condition."

"And what makes you think I want to come back with you?"

The crowd spoke up in a chorus of "ohhhh's", as if they expected Moneybone and Hex to get into a fight. Why was this such a big deal to them? It really made no sense to her.

"Now now, everyone calm down," Moneybone insisted. "There's no reason to get all excited."

He whispered to Hex, "If you haven't noticed, I am a pretty big deal around here. My subjects get upset if they think I'm in danger, and I really don't want that to happen. Come with me, if not for my sake, then for the sake of putting their minds at ease."

Hex looked back at the crowd. They all looked at the two of them desperately. There was no real reason to start a fight. Her only wish was to get back to the surface.

She resignedly joined Moneybone in his carriage. They set off with the cheers of the population sending them away. The carriage traveled down the road for a few moments, until eventually reaching a large citadel which Moneybone claimed to be his place of residence. Hex didn't utter a single word to him. As soon as this trip was over, she would leave before Moneybone could convince her to stay.

"Here we are!" Moneybone shouted. "Home sweet home! I can help you settle in if you like."

"What?" Hex asked. "No, I can't stay in your creepy citadel."

"You're confused. Creepy Citadel is far, far south of here."

"I mean, I'm trying to get back to the surface."

"Well then it's the first road to your left- oh, but you should stay for a little while, at least. Until you've adjusted to Undead-ness. I think the mortal Skylands would be very worried if you were to head to the surface in your current condition."

"I'm fine."

"I don't believe you are. Not really. You see, the Undead transformation is hard on many ghouls who first arrive into the Underworld. Spirits who come down naturally have the understanding to accept what has happened to them, but the way my colleague thinks you transformed- cursed by the Undead magic in our realm- can make this much more difficult. A flurry of emotions enters your heart, muddling your brain in confusion as you try to sort this new life out. This goes away after a while, but it can take days- maybe even weeks- for you to feel normal again."

That certainly seemed to make sense. But Hex argued, "You're a skeleton. You were born Undead. How could you possibly know how it feels?"

"Good question," Moneybone realized. "No, I don't know what it's like. But our best scientists determined that this has happened."

"Science can be wrong, sometimes."

"In this case, I don't think it is."

"And _I_ think you have a different reason for inviting me into your home."

"That is just ridic-"

Music was suddenly heard playing at the front of the citadel. A mariachi band had come out, blasting away on their instruments. They were led by the same skeleton that had greeted Hex to the Underworld- Fiesta, was it? Hex knew the kind of melody they were performing- a celebratory tune, for announcing the arrival of a noble baron.

"Fiesta, this is kind of a bad time right now," Moneybone insisted.

"I know, but I wasn't at the doorstep when you first came back," Fiesta begged him. "You wrote it into my contract- "Be on time for Count Moneybone's arrival back at the citadel." Clear as day."

"I didn't mean right at the door as I rode in."

"You _did_ leave most of my contract up to interpretation."

Moneybone tossed the thought away. "This is the marvelous Hex, new to the Underworld," he said, nudging Hex toward Fiesta. "She is the girl you told me about, right?"

Fiesta nodded.

"You can give her a tour of the citadel. Talk to her for a while, convince her to stay until she's fully adjusted." To Hex, he asked, "You can give me _that_ at least, right?"

Hex had planned on leaving right away. She didn't owe these people anything. She didn't want their charity. Hex was about to say no, but suddenly got a better look at Fiesta. He stood idly by, watching as if something were to happen. There was no doubt that he would get angry if she defied Moneybone again.

"I want him to lead me back to the surface once we're done," Hex sighed. "I have to go."

"Splendid!" Moneybone cheered. "You two have fun. I should get back to my flat to check on some... matters, that need attending to."

The citadel's largest sections were the East and West Wings. The East Wing held the kitchen and dining room/ballroom sets, while the West Wing held the library. The rest of the citadel held miscellaneous rooms, which Fiesta had insisted were mostly flats for the occupants living here.

Oh yes, they had traveled all over the building that afternoon. Fiesta told Hex everything about it, though he talked enough for the both of them. He didn't even allow her to ask questions. That was fine- Hex was hardly listening. She cared not for any of this. She was simply waiting for the right time to explain that she had to get back to the surface.

Once they'd circled back to the citadel's entrance, Hex explained this to Fiesta.

"It can take a while to adjust to your new state," Fiesta reminded her.

"Yes, so you all keep reminding me," Hex spat with venom.

"You should stay here until that happens."

"I can't. This isn't my place."

There were more pressing matters at hand. The longer she stayed down here, the worse things would get. There was something more important at the surface that had to be attended to, and it simply couldn't wait.

"My guild needs to know that I'm okay," Hex admitted.

"Guild? Like with sorcerers and the likes?" Fiesta asked.

"Yes. We've been on the run for a while, and I went down here to exterminate the source of the problem. With my mission complete, I can tell my guild that we can stop running and go home."

"Why didn't you just say that before? I'll go tell Mon-"

"I don't want your help."

Hex turned to leave, heading in the direction that Moneybone had said before. He could've made it up as he was trying to convince her to stay, but it didn't matter to her. She'd find her own way back up. After that...well, Hex wasn't really sure. She knew she wasn't the same anymore, and she highly doubted that "adjusting" to her current state would ever bring that same spirit back. It was doubtful that she could join her guild in the same way again.

"You don't have to go it alone!" Fiesta shouted after her.

He was still going after her? Hex turned around. Fiesta hadn't left from where he stood. He glared at her, defiant at her outcry.

"Don't you get the hint? I'm done with you," Hex insisted.

"I'm not letting you go until I'm sure I've helped you," Fiesta argued. "That's the one thing I make sure of when welcoming new arrivals."

"And what makes you think I shouldn't be alone?"

"Everyone needs to have someone to work with. You're not as strong alone as you are with teammates. If you really want to head back up there, fine- but don't go it alone."

It would be hopeless. Hex knew what she was getting into. Many people would see her as a danger and a monster once she came back to the surface. Nobody would want to work with her. But that didn't mean Hex wanted to give up. She would find someone willing to be a partner- even if she had to forcefully coerce them into doing so.

"If you so choose to come back," Fiesta concluded, "You know where to find me."

She doubted she would. All the same, Hex promised, "I won't forget you."


	7. Night Shift: Mistakes And Lament

**Sundiel asked me to write something about Night Shift or Bat Spin. It should become clear in about 15 seconds as to who I chose. I'll try to get to the other character at a later time.**

Chapter Seven: Mistakes and Lament

 _A bell rang three times, signaling the start of the match. Spectators cheered wildly as they sat around the boxing ring, watching the two contenders begin the match. In one corner was a newcomer, an aswang who had quickly been dubbed "Fish" because he was so new. (No offense to any Gillmen out there, of course!) In the other corner was the undefeated phantom-weight champion of Skylands- Night Shift the vampire. He was pretty confident that the "Fish" would go down quickly- little did he know, a mistake would arise that would ruin his career, as well as giving the rest of the vampires a bad name._

 _The fight began with a flurry of punches toward each other. Night Shift dodged his opponent's hits with ease, using his special gift of teleportation. He also landed a couple of blows to the opponent's back and wings. The "Fish" turned around suddenly, and landed a blow on Night Shift's face. It was a lucky shot- a shot that left Night Shift seeing double._

 _Night Shift quickly covered his face with his gloves, aware that the "Fish" was still hitting him. He felt dizzy, and started racking his head for ideas as to winning the match quickly. One good idea kept coming back to him- biting the aswang. Night Shift had done it before in a previous match (Long story,) and it would only be a warning bite. The bite plan was confirmed, and Night Shift quickly teleported after his opponent._

 _But the problem was that Night Shift couldn't see very well at this point. Where he thought that the "Fish" was standing, was really where a group of human spectators were sitting. He'd teleported out of the ring completely- and sank his fangs into one of the necks of the humans. Suddenly a chorus of fearful screams arose from the crowd- and Night Shift felt less dizzy after tasting the blood of the human. Realizing his mistake, he quickly dug his fangs out of the human's neck._

 _It wouldn't help. Everyone started leaving as quickly as they'd come in, the screams filling Night Shift's head..._

"Night Shift! Look out!"

Night Shift looked up from where he was standing- and was met with a projectile to the forehead. He covered his face in pain, then looked back up to see a green skunk and a purple ice cat watching him in worry.

They were Skylanders- and Night Shift's newest comrades, as of a couple months ago.

When Night Shift had bitten the human two years ago, the Skylands Boxing Federation had quickly banned Teleportation to make sure an event like that never happened again. He could've ignored the rule change, but Night Shift didn't like to play that way. A couple months ago, Portal Master Eon had recalled Night Shift's boxing career, and decided that a vampire boxer couldn't be the worst recruit to the Skylanders. Night Shift's initiation into the Skylanders made him feel useful again, but he was almost certain that Eon had made a mistake. Everybody suddenly feared vampires, and Night Shift's membership as a Skylander would quickly give the Skylanders a bad reputation as well.

Night Shift quickly brought himself back to reality. He'd been caught daydreaming, and had been met with an ice chakram to the forehead thanks to Freeze Blade. The ice cat was fairly new to the Skylanders, arriving a couple weeks after Blast Zone's initiation. Freeze Blade was annoying, and Night Shift couldn't stand him. Right now it looked like Freeze Blade was shocked after accidentally hurting the vampire- he simply stared at the dark gash that was now on Night Shift's forehead.

"I'm sorry!" Freeze Blade whimpered. "I didn't think it would hit you!"

It was a genuine apology. Freeze Blade hadn't meant to hurt Night Shift. Then again, Freeze Blade never meant to do any of the mistakes he'd made. But at least the teenaged ice cat's mistakes never ruined the reputation of his species. Or change the rules of his entire career. Or caused him to be personally called out as a monster.

"Why don't you watch where you throw those things!?" Night Shift spat. The comment was mainly thrown out there in hopes of being left alone. He didn't like it when people caught him daydreaming. Then they'd constantly ask him what he was thinking about, followed by questions such as "Why?" and "Can we help you, Night Shift?" Night Shift didn't want any help. The past was in the past, the inevitable end of the Skylanders was coming thanks to him, and the last thing Night Shift wanted was more pity thrown his way.

"Why don't you _look out_ for those things for a change?!" Stink Bomb yelled at Night Shift. "We are in a _training room_ after all! But all you ever do in here is punch at the training dummies for a few measly minutes, then continue staring at the ground! This is the third time this week that you've been caught distracted, _alone_! What's up, vampire!?"

What was up was the two-year anniversary of Night Shift's retirement from boxing. Two years since Teleportation was deemed illegal in the sport. Night Shift loved everything about the sport of boxing, and that one mistake completely ruined his career- as well as the reputation for all other vampires out there. He liked to follow this period of lament in the vampire sense of tradition- completely fast himself, perhaps sleep for a while, and then return to his regularly scheduled life as he tried to forget the past. As a Skylander, he couldn't do that, so instead he daydreamed about how things would have been had he not bitten the human.

"Leave me alone!" Night Shift decided, and then left the training room. He headed toward his room at the Skylanders' base in the Cloudbreak Islands, hoping to find something that would heal his forehead wound before it became a scar. Night Shift was used to head blows- even the one given to him by the "Fish"- but this was created by ice. It hurt more than any punch ever had.

Night Shift got up to his room and quickly shut the door behind him, propping it closed with a chair. Now there was a cage across from him, containing a flighty goat. He'd given up drinking human blood ever since that incident, and goat blood really didn't taste any worse. Night Shift opened the cage, and caught the flighty goat as it ran out. He sank his fangs into the goat's side and drank deeply- but only a pint, so the animal wouldn't die.

A knocking on the door could be heard. On the other side of the door was Stink Bomb, who said, "Night Shift, I need to talk to you!"

The energy received from the goat blood quickly washed over Night Shift- he could even feel the wound heal itself. What would Stink Bomb think once he saw that the cut was gone? Night Shift didn't want to risk it. He also didn't want Stink Bomb to think of him as an even bigger jerk. With a sigh and a lot of hesitance, Night Shift removed the chair and opened the door.

"I said leave me alone," Night Shift repeated.

"And I said that I need to talk to you," Stink Bomb insisted. "You have to apologize to Freeze Blade."

"Why? He hit _me_!"

"He didn't mean to! And he already felt bad enough before you snapped at him! When a person first becomes a Skylander, it is crucial that they don't feel nervous about attacking the enemy. Freeze Blade will forever feel nervous because he hit you, and the only way to get that nervousness out is by having you apologize."

"If that's the case, then he needs to grow a backbone! You can't go through life expecting other people to apologize for _your_ mistakes! Besides, I personally think we could do much better if we weren't always fighting!"

"Says the _boxer_!"

"No, Stink Bomb. Says the washed up _has-been_ that was made a Skylander out of pity. I'm sick of pity! I'm not going to make Freeze Blade sick of it as well, and I'm _definitely_ not going to give him undeserved attention!"

"It was an _accident_ for Eon's sake!" How would you feel if you hurt someone by accident and they completely didn't understand?!"

The screams of the spectators came to Night Shift's mind once again. He shook his head to clear them out. Stink Bomb didn't really care about that. No, the mortals only cared about what they wanted to hear. Stink Bomb only wanted to hear Night Shift's apology to Freeze Blade. If he was simply going to stick around and wait for Night Shift's apology, then this was going to be a really long day for them both.

"Well?" Stink Bomb asked.

"What, you want me to apologize to _you_ now?" Night Shift scoffed. "Well I'm sorry Stink Bomb, but I'm not going to apologize for something I didn't do. And in any case, I thought I told you to leave me alone!"

Night Shift slammed the door on Stink Bomb's face. He quickly propped the chair back under the door.

"You know, Eon made a mistake by making you a Skylander!" Stink Bomb yelled.

"I couldn't agree more!" Night Shift yelled back.

Night Shift sat on his bed, and there was silence. Well, there was silence besides the jiggling of the doorknob as Stink Bomb struggled to get in. Night Shift simply ignored it. The skunk would grow bored eventually. Hopefully he'd grow bored and simply leave the vampire alone.

The jiggling of the doorknob stopped, and Stink Bomb's voice asked, "You agreed wit me on Eon's dumb decision?"

No comment.

"I didn't think you'd agree with anyone on anything."

No comment.

"Especially since it concerns his decision about making you a Skylander."

No comment.

"What's wrong, then? I thought you'd be insulted by this."

No comment. No comment at all. Night Shift didn't want any pity from these mortals. He simply waited for Stink Bomb to leave. The skunk couldn't care that much.

A long moment of silence came, and Night Shift assumed that Stink Bomb had left. His mind began to wander again.

Master Eon had said that he didn't care that Night Shift was a vampire. He also said that he didn't care about what Night Shift had done. It had only been a mistake, after all. But Night Shift figured that the old Portal Master wasn't aware of what a simple mistake can do to your reputation. Eon's mistake would certainly ruin the Skylanders.

Night Shift had thought about quitting the Skylanders- he'd even told Master Eon about his request at one point. He wasn't sure how, but Master Eon convinced him to stay. The Portal Master was so convinced that Night Shift was a great candidate for the Skylanders. So certain, in fact, that he'd convinced Night Shift that being a Skylander was a good thing for him. Night Shift didn't mention that he thought it was a mistake- only that other people might not trust the Skylanders anymore. He didn't feel like mentioning it.

A loud knocking on the door roused Night Shift form his thoughts. He was suddenly aware of something wet on his cheeks. Were those tears? He'd allowed himself to cry? The knocking continued until Night Shift yelled, "What!?"

"I've decided on an intervention," Stink Bomb's voice came out. "Freeze Blade is here with me. You're going to apologize to him for snapping at him about the injury."

"Oh, I guess you didn't inform him about the backbone proposal, then. Leave me alone!" Night Shift insisted.

"It was an _accident_! In any case, Freeze Blade feels bad enough about hurting you. You should apologize for snapping at him. After that, I'll apologize for the comment I made to you about the mistake-"

"I. Said. _Leave. Me. Alone!_ "

He heard Stink Bomb's voice behind the door say, "It's not you, Freeze Blade. He's just being a grump. He's also not ready to apologize yet. Let's go."

Night Shift had been convinced that Stink Bomb had faked Freeze Blade's presence. The skunk would do anything in order to make the vampire apologize. And why should Night Shift apologize for Freeze Blade's mistake? The ice cat needed to grow a backbone, and he needed to grow one _desperately_. Another knock on the door convinced Night Shift otherwise- a soft tapping instead of a pounding.

"Did I hurt you that badly, Night Shift?" Freeze Blade's voice asked silently.

Night Shift could hear the guilt in his tone of voice. Stink Bomb hadn't made up the ice cat's presence? Freeze Blade really did feel guilty about hurting him? Night Shift replied, "No, I'm fine. The wound's already healed."

"Then why are you shutting us out?"

 _Can we help you Night Shift?_ came back to mind. He didn't want any of their worthless pity! "Believe it or not, Freeze Blade, but not everyone in the world cared about feelings like you do."

"Why does it sound like you want us to leave?"

"Because you keep pestering me! I want to be left alone!"

"It still sounds like I hurt you more than we thought."

 _Can we help you Night Shift?_ Whatever made these mortals leave him alone, Night Shift guessed. "Is Stink Bomb out there?" Night Shift asked.

"No. He left when you grumbled about wanting to be alone," Freeze Blade confirmed.

Night Shift removed the chair underneath the doorknob, and slowly opened the door. He made a quick check to make sure Freeze Blade really was alone, and then pulled Freeze Blade into his room. For a few minutes, Freeze Blade stared at the walls in awe- it wasn't often that anyone could see Night Shift's room in person. He also glanced toward the flighty goat, which had slid back into the corner of its cage. Regaining his senses, Freeze Blade asked, "Is there any specific reason as to why you dragged me in here?"

"Just trying to get everyone off my back," Night Shift said. "Freeze Blade, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was just mad, but you didn't deserve that."

Now Freeze Blade had gone from a guilty look, to an awestruck look, and now just looked confused. "Sorry for what?" he asked again. "I hit _you_."

 _Can we help you Night Shift?_ Night Shift felt like an idiot now. The "apology" was just something that Stink Bomb had made up so he could get a rouse from him! It was another plot to throw worthless pity toward him! Night Shift clenched his fists and started grinding his teeth, trying to slow his growing anger.

"Did Stink Bomb bug you?" Night Shift asked.

"Bug me about what?" Freeze Blade replied, still confused.

"Not that kind of bug! I mean did he plant a bug on you so he could listen to me?!"

"Why would he do that? You're not making any sense!"

"Don't _you_ start throwing pity toward me!"

"Pity? Who'd pity a man like you?"

Night Shift was silent for another moment. Why had he mentioned the pity thing? Now it would sound like he actually _wanted_ pity. And after hearing Freeze Blade speak, Night Shift felt worse about himself. Who'd pity an old, useless man like him, with nothing to offer? He was absolutely worthless.

"It doesn't matter. You can go now," Night Shift insisted. Not only did he feel worthless, he also felt slightly embarrassed.

"I'm not leaving until you start making sense!" Freeze Blade cried. "First you seem sullen when you start staring at the ground and into space, then you get mad after I hit you, now you're confusing me with all of this apology and pity nonsense!"

 _Can we help you Night Shift?_ "It _is_ nonsense," Night Shift replied. "All the more reason for you to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Why do you even care!? None of you mortals really care! You could care less about me, as long as I made you feel good!"

"That's not true! We wouldn't pester you so much if we didn't care about you!"

They cared about him? They couldn't care about him. They could care _less_ about him! What right did the ice cat have to tell Night Shift these lies? Not only was it false, but it also didn't make sense. People hated and feared vampires. Why should the Skylanders care about Night Shift?

"You disgust me," Night Shift spat.

"It's true," Freeze Blade insisted. "The Skylanders are united together. We're all friends, despite our differences. If we're nagging you, it's only because we care about you and we want to make you feel like you belong here."

"Shut up!"

"I can't believe it's taken this long for you to realize that. It only took me a couple days, thanks to Blast Zone."

He really sounded honest. "Name three reasons as to why you 'care' about me," Night Shift dared him.

"Well for starters, you're old," Freeze Blade began. "But that's a good thing! Old people have lots of stories to tell, and you do talk about your former boxing career if we ask you."

That was true. Other people often asked him to tell stories of his life. Night Shift felt unusually comfortable whenever he did, but that didn't stop him from dragging on and on until Eon came by and managed to tell him, "That's enough, Night Shift, I think we should move on to other business."

"You're a great fighter, and that easily helps us out in a pinch."

Also true. One time when they were on a mission in Cascade Glade, Night Shift saved seven injured Skylanders by knocking away a group of Greebles with his uppercut. Those Skylanders might have died had he not been there to defend them.

"And finally, you're the strongest person we've ever met. You never let _anything_ keep you down on your knees. Well, metaphorically, at least."

Now that _wasn't_ true. For two years, Night Shift had struggled with the Teleportation ban. Of course, Freeze Blade didn't know that. At least, Night Shift figured he didn't know that. Still, the comments that Freeze Blade gave him made him feel good. But how could he allow himself that?

"How many people do you think would agree with you?" Night Shift asked him, truly curious for the answer.

"You'd be surprised," Freeze Blade told him.

How surprised would he be? Night Shift silently pondered the statistics in his head. Was the number big or small? It couldn't be that big- who would care about a vampire!? And after thinking about it, was Stink Bomb's insistence for an "apology" just a way to voice his concern for Night Shift? The skunk sounded angry, but was he trying to hide his compassion just as Night Shift tried to hide his self-conscious problem?

"And...what do you think would happen to the Skylanders' 'unity' if everyone stopped trusting them...because of me?" Night Shift hesitated to say.

"Why would they stop trusting us because of you?" Freeze Blade asked. "Because you're a vampire? Is that it? Night Shift, you don't have to hide the fact that you're a vampire- not from us, and certainly not from the denizens of Skylands."

"I've found that the denizens of Skylands don't exactly feel comfortable around people that can drain you dry."

"That's only because they fail to get to know those people better. I think it's cool that you're a vampire, and I know you wouldn't hurt your friends."

 _Were_ the Skylanders his friends? Yes, they were, Night Shift realized. He liked the idea of having friends amongst these people. It sounded like they were willing to look past the fangs and the history. It also sounded like they cared about him.

"I have to go," Night Shift told Freeze Blade. "I need to apologize to Stink Bomb."

Night Shift managed to find Stink Bomb later that day and apologized for his behavior. He'd also managed to express the insecurities he'd started bottling up after two years of retirement from boxing. Stink Bomb seemed to understand after that, and the statement "I forgive you" formed a kind of brotherly bond between Night Shift and Stink Bomb.

There had been no reason for Night Shift to beat himself up about it to begin with. After all, Night Shift realized, it's okay for you to make mistakes your whole life as long as you learned something from them.

He also realized that annoying ice cats can be more enlightening than they let on.


	8. Roller Brawl: Question Authority

**Spyrorocks asked me to write about Roller Brawl. I don't really focus on her backstory in this one- I thought this kind of chapter would help flesh out the character more. I think in the future, some chapters will be like this. For instance, I might opt to write about a scenario that molded Stealth Elf into the kind of character she is because there's not much to find in her backstory. (I might also do the same for Lightning Rod when I get to it, since the wiki has two conflicting backstories and I might not want to try blending them together.)**

Chapter Eight: Question Authority

It is customary in the Skylanders regimes to elect the eldest of the Skylanders to train the new recruits. The eldest in each Element of the Skylanders is the one to train the new recruits of their Element. This is due to the experience and wisdom of elder Skylanders, which is a more reliable training selection than most.

However, Roller Brawl disagreed with this ideal.

She had been a Skylander for less than a year. It was the thick of summer, and the Skylanders had gone to the Cloudbreak Islands to protect the magical volcano that resides there. Roller Brawl was experienced in the ways that they operated on missions. She was wiser now than she was when first coming into the Skylanders, and felt that she could train new recruits as well as anyone else.

That wasn't her decision to make, however. Roller Brawl was an Undead Skylander, and the eldest in her regime was Chop Chop. As such, Chop Chop was the one to train the new recruits of their Element. In fact, Chop Chop was the eldest _Skylander_ , and was given permission to train whoever he pleased. That deserved some kind of award- though what that award would look like, they hadn't decided.

Roller Brawl was currently in the courtyard of Woodburrow, the capital island of Cloudbreak. She was watching Chop Chop train some of the new recruits that had just arrived- Pop Thorn of the Air Element, Zoo Lou of the Life Element, and Grim Creeper of the Undead Element. These three were closely-knit, having been brought into the regimes at almost the exact same time. They were pretty powerful, but against Chop Chop, they were no match.

After a long training session, each of the three recruits fell down to Chop Chop's might. Pop Thorn flew toward a wall, Zoo Lou was kicked to the ground, and Grim Creeper simply crumpled to the ground when fatigue set in. Chop Chop stood above them, as if he were some kind of bony metallic god of the Underworld. Roller Brawl was frightened by his enjoyment of other's pain- even for someone of the Undead Element, it was a little excessive.

"Hey Chop, can I talk to you for a sec?" Roller Brawl asked as she skated toward him.

"What do you want?" Chop Chop asked.

"I was just thinking, maybe you could let up on the newbies a little bit? You know, we don't _have_ to kill them."

"Pain is a measure of worth. If these three feel no pain, then they will be worth nothing in future battles."

Roller Brawl looked at the recruits, who were all on the ground in fetal positions. (Which was hard for Pop Thorn, a member of the Pufferthorn race that have especially stubby legs.) "I'm scared that they won't make it out there in the conditions you leave them."

"They'll make it. You made it. I didn't go easy on you, either."

"You went easier on me than you did these guys."

Roller Brawl came to another realization. Chop Chop went easier on the female recruits as opposed to the males that he brutally beats to near death.

"Wait a minute!" she yelled. "Did you go easy on me because I'm a girl?!"

"That's ridiculous," Chop Chop insisted. "Why would I do that?"

"You're from the far, far past, where women couldn't fight because it's 'unlady like'. You're living in the past."

"Are you suggesting that I'm old?"

"You _are_ old. Everyone knows it. That's the only reason why they picked you to train the newbies."

"That wasn't the only reason. Master Eon spent a lot of time considering the qualifications of a teacher, and I fit all of those."

"Age is the only reason that counts these days."

Chop Chop walked away from her. "I'm sorry this frustrates you so much," he replied. "But there is very little I can do."

Oh, Chop Chop had held back, alright. Chop Chop had held back because he was sexist. Roller Brawl knew it. He couldn't keep it secret. Her whole undead life, people had held back from attacking Roller Brawl because she was a girl.

She'd heard every insult before. They mostly came from her older brothers. Roller Brawl had five of them, making life very difficult. Everyone in her family was super competitive, and that made it worse. "You throw like a girl!" "You run like a girl!" "You hit like a girl!" She'd heard them all. Of course she wanted to train new recruits, but she also couldn't help see if her teachers were all sexist.

Maybe she threw like a girl, they should reason, because she _was_ one.

That night, Roller Brawl sat in the common room of the Skylanders' base in Cloudbreak. She was slumped on the couch, upside down, her feet over the back. Her hair had been undone from the braid it was in all day. Two Skylanders, Punk Shock and Star Strike, walked into the common room. They immediately spotted her.

"I guess it _is_ true what they say about vampires hanging upside down!" Punk Shock teased her.

Roller Brawl shot her a mean glare.

"I kid, I kid! You seem upset, and not toward me."

"Life is unfair, alive or undead," Roller Brawl sighed. "Chop Chop ges to train _everybody,_ merely because he's older than everyone else. When will the rest of us get a chance to train the newbies?"

"The rule of ages doesn't always apply to everyone," Star Strike insisted. "I mean, Spyro isn't the eldest of the Magic Element Skylanders, but he still trains new recruits."

"He can't train the wide majority that Chop Chop can. He's never beaten Chop Chop. Nobody has," Roller Brawl continued.

"You sound a bit jealous right now."

"Maybe I am a bit jealous. But I'm not asking for a lot. I just want a chance to train someone. When I was a kid, my brothers wouldn't let me go outside if they thought I'd get hurt. I'd grown up a lot by the time I was a roller derby champ, and they still thought I was a little kid."

"Do you still miss them?"

"Yeah...always. I'll forever miss those doofheads."

"We'll get them back one day."

Punk Shock flopped on the couch next to Roller Brawl. "You know what I'd do?" she asked. "I'd beat up Chop Chop! Set the rules straight once and for all! Fairness for everyone to train anyone!"

"It's not that simple," Star Strike explained. "Chop Chop is better than anyone else we've fought. He can take you down before you realize what has happened. You need a strategy in order to beat him."

"And it's not like defeating him is going to set things right," Roller Brawl added. "This thing goes all the way to Master Eon himself."

"Maybe beating him up won't change anything right away," Punk Shock continued, "but it would make everyone lose faith in him. 'Oh, Chop Chop got beaten by a little girl? He must be a wimp! Let's find someone else to train us!' In a few years, things will be different."

"What about right now?" Roller Brawl asked. "Who's to say that one of these times, maybe in the near future, that someone will be too afraid to become a Skylander because they hear that Chop Chop is a brutal trainer?"

"It would make things much more difficult, for sure," Star Strike insisted. "We should take this up to Master Eon tomorrow."

"And in the meantime, we can beat up Chop Chop," Punk Shock insisted. "No holds barred!"

"Who's to say we can do it? He wasn't at his strongest, and I still couldn't defeat him."

"What do you- that sexist jerk! Let's grind him up into sausage! No holding back! Make him suffer as us feminists have for thousands of years!"

"You're really itching for a fight, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious? Okay tomorrow, high noon, let's do it!"

Roller Brawl couldn't help but giggle. She liked her friend's spunk. It was a rather refreshing taste than most of the other Skylander girls, who were too serious for their own good. "Star Strike, you want to join us?" she asked.

"Of course," Star Strike replied. "We need to come up with a strategy to defeat him, and I might know what we could do."

The next day, the girls went out to the courtyard. There was Chop Chop, training the new recruits. This time it was Fryno of the Fire Element. He had a temper, which was bad when someone riled him up. He chased down Chop Chop in his flaming motorcycle, which everyone else had nicknamed the "Angry Bike." Chop Chop maneuvered around him with ease, swerving out of the way and knocking him off.

"See what he did?" Star Strike asked. "Fryno is a good fighter, but he lets his head get in the way. I know you two would like nothing more than to sucker punch Chop Chop in his face, but unless you keep a level head, you're not going to stand a chance, especially if he's not holding back."

They walked toward Chop Chop. The skeletal warrior was standing over Fryno, deciding whether or not to let him go. How badly would Fryno get off if their fight continued? Roller Brawl stood in between them, intent on keeping him alive and away from Chop Chop's insanity. Fryno snuck away as she did so.

"You, versus Punk Shock, Star Strike, and myself- no holding back this time," Roller Brawl demanded.

"Are you challenging me to a fight?" Chop Chop asked.

"No, I'm challenging you to tea. What else do you think I'm doing? If we win, you have to talk to Master Eon about letting _everyone_ train new recruits."

Punk Shock interjected, "And you have to wear a sign that says 'beaten by three little girls' for the rest of the day!"

Chop Chop nodded. "Alright. No holding back," he agreed.

He slashed his sword at Roller Brawl. The vampire ducked and sped away from him. Star Strike and Punk Shock took their battle stances, posed to fight. Holding her electric crossbow, Punk Shot sent a bolt flying toward Chop Chop. He was pulled away from Roller Brawl, and headed toward Punk Shock. Star Strike peeled away from her, taking her stance a little farther back from them.

Roller Brawl had memorized Chop Chop's session with the boys, and had explained it to Star Strike so they could formulize a strategy. Chop Chop would sometimes head toward someone who looked like they would be more hazardous to his success. (For example, archers, firearms, magic wielders, etc.) He had to eliminate them first so the rest of his mission would flow more smoothly.

Chop Chop held his shield up, blocking the bolts and heading toward Punk Shock. Roller Brawl cut him off, bashing into him with her helmet. They both tumbled to the ground, and almost as quickly came back up. Roller Brawl was in close-quarters with Chop Chop, blocking his sword hits with the claws on her gloves. Punk Shock hit him once again, distracting him so they could both change positions.

Chop Chop also liked to thin out the enemies around him. He slammed his sword into the ground, bone brambles shooting up and away from the impact. Roller Brawl slid away, but a bramble scuffed her left leg. Punk Shock's arm was scraped as well. The injuries weren't too bad, and they could simply walk them off.

Star Strike had avoided injury altogether. She set her magic onto Chop Chop, allowing starry rain to strike down on him. Punk Shock hit him again with her crossbow, and Roller Brawl scratched him with her claws. He turned around, his sword hitting Roller Brawl. He unleashed the brambles again, scuffing Star Strike's right side as she tried to escape.

How to keep all of the girls up and fighting? Draw him away from them, of course! Punk Shock hit him again with the crossbow, and this time threw a waterball at his feet as he ran toward her. Another bolt electrified the puddle, stunning the warrior. Punk Shock whisked by Chop Chop, hitting him with her electrified tail to deal more damage. She didn't stay long- her duty was to stay as far away from him as possible.

As she did so, large blades came and hit Chop Chop, making him drop to the ground. The blades came from Roller Brawl, who stood proud and strong. This attack confused him- Roller Brawl enjoyed close-quarters combat, and this couldn't be something she would do. He was stunned by this as he tried to get up, allowing Star Strike to come back and klonk him on the head with her large fans.

The girls were fully aware of a new move that Chop Chop had learned in the past year. His shield disappeared, and he gained two large swords. The swords hit Star Strike, making her kneel on the ground. Punk Shock managed to get far enough away to prevent any injury. This was the last stretch. Roller Brawl sped up to them, determined to win this battle. She sent more blades toward Chop Chop. They gained his attention to her, but she'd come too close form him to get his swords up to attack.

Roller Brawl sliced her claws on his head, bringing him to the ground.

Punk Shock stepped closer to him, bringing her crossbow toward his head. Roller Brawl and Star Strike also kept their guard up. Had they won? He hadn't gotten up yet. It couldn't be this simple. It was better to keep their guard up just in case Chop Chop started to attack again.

It took several minutes. Chop Chop didn't get up.

Punk Shock kicked him. "Don't tell us you held back!" she insisted.

"I'd never hold back- it's too frustrating," Chop Chop groaned.

Roller Brawl hoisted him back up. He didn't even do the psych-out where you let someone pull you up so you could pull _them_ down. Chop Chop stood up, looking broken and battered. They'd won!

A crowd had gathered around them. They applauded the girls on their victory. Whistling was even heard, mostly from the senior Skylanders. They thought it could never be done.

"I'll talk to Master Eon about your request," Chop Chop promised them. "You hit like true Skylanders."

That was a new one for Roller Brawl. But she liked the way it sounded.

 **You know what would be a good theme song for Roller Brawl. "Freak Out" by Avril Lavigne. I don't listen to her music as religiously as other people do, but I can't help but think about Roller Brawl when I hear that specific track.**


	9. Rattle Shake: The Greatest Lie

**I'm not sure what your name was. 6w5, was it? Well, this one's for you- another chapter that I am unsure of.**

 **Hopefully I'll get these all done. The term is ending, and I have extra credit work to do.**

Chapter Nine: The Greatest Lie

They were in the thick of battle. Drow warriors launched at the Skylanders at all angles. Spears were thrust out. Bodies thrown all over. Weapons brandished. All in the hope of trying to sway the battle to one's favor- though neither force was anywhere close to winning.

The Skylanders of the Cloudbreak Islands had been called to the outskirts of the region, hoping to intercept an invading force. The mere sight of these Drow was very curious. Drow came from the Darkness, and the Darkness had better things to do than engulf the boonies of Skylands in evil- it must've thought that the denizens of Cloudbreak were absolutely worthless. For the moment, it mattered not to the Skylanders. They would figure that out when they won the battle.

When, or if, that would be, still had yet to be determined.

Rattle Shake had cleared out a circle around him, freeing himself for an offensive attack. He launched venom from his snake gun, shooting it at incoming enemies. His heart thudded in his chest. Today could be the day he died. No time to think about that! When those thoughts came up, then that destiny was assured.

He noticed the tiger-like Skylander known as Trap Shadow lunge after him. But he wasn't after Rattle Shake. He dragged a few of the Drow away in order to help him out. Rattle Shake could never truly figure out what Trap Shadow was trying to do. He was an unpredictable beast- at least he didn't attack his friends.

Out from the circle, Rattle Shake could see a Drow warrior hitting something against a tree. Moving to get a closer look, he found what the warrior was fixated on- Wash Buckler! The Skylanders' leader had been backed into a corner, Drow to his right, tree on his back, and the edge of the island on his right. The Drow warrior was slamming Wash Buckler into the tree, trying to crack his head open. Though Wash Buckler was holding him back, he was definitely stuck.

Rattle Shake acted without thinking. He launched toward the two, ripping the Drow off of Wash Buckler. They slipped off the edge of the island, and Wash Buckler saved Rattle Shake by grabbing the back of his vest. The Drow warrior had grabbed onto his front, but lost his grip and plummeted down into the depths of Skylands.

Rattle Shake was quickly pulled back up onto the island. The rest of the Skylanders joined them, congratulating him on saving their leader. Rattle Shake could hardly reply. What had he just done?

Trap Shadow patted Rattle Shake on the back, saying, "That was impressive work, Shaky! Completely knocked that Drow right off his feet!"

"I...I killed him," Rattle Shake stammered. Yes. That was definitely what had happened. He had killed that Drow, shoving him off the island.

"Aw, don't be like that! An outlaw like yourself, you must've killed tons of people before deciding to join us!"

Rattle Shake shook his head.

"Oh...my bad."

"This was the first time you killed someone?" Wash Buckler asked. His body had been bruised all over, bleeding coming from a small gash on the back of his head. Overall, though, he seemed no worse for wear.

But what kind of comment did he just throw out? "Like we need to systematically kill people?" Rattle Shake yelled.

"I didn't mean it like that," Wash Buckler insisted. "I get it. It was wrong of me to assume otherwise, and I'm sorry."

"Heh heh, I guess assuming really does make...you know...," Trap Shadow cut in. "Look Shaky, you didn't mean to do it. That has to be important, right? The universe will forgive that. Besides, we don't know for _sure_ that the Drow is dead. He could've landed on another island. If you don't find the body, then they're probably not dead. Everything's going to be okay."

Rattle Shake very much wanted to believe that was true.

It wasn't like the Skylanders ever expected to kill anyone in their duties. The Portal Masters planted the rules firmly into their heads- take down oppressive forces, never out. Skylanders with shady pasts who were used to killing had to wait for a while before getting put on a mission like this- to ensure that they fully understood the rules and were indeed willing to commit. Though killing someone couldn't always be entirely avoided- the Portal Masters would forgive Skylanders for breaking the rule if they did it in self-defense or were trying to help out an ally and found no other alternative.

Nobody had put Rattle Shake in the wrong.

Well, nobody except Rattle Shake, of course.

Several weeks after the incident occurred, Rattle Shake had locked himself firmly in his room on the Skylanders' base in the Cloudbreak Islands. He wanted to cry about the whole ordeal, to voice the pain that was now going through his head. But no tears ever came out. Not even a wail escaped his jaws. The only thing that existed was the lump in his throat. Could it be possible to feel so upset and guilty over something that you can't even cry about it?

The Skylanders came by to give him meals- Rattle Shake hadn't even come out of his room to eat. They all gave him their best wishes and advice. (Though Trap Shadow stopped being kind after the first week and continually told him, "So you killed a guy. Big whoop." This actually relieved Rattle Shake somewhat to know that the big purple lug hadn't changed all that much.) Nothing they said made him feel better. He'd killed someone! Something should happen after this!

One possible idea came up when Rattle Shake was at a complete loss for answers.

He was probably just a big coward who couldn't see the forest for the trees.

It all went back to that encounter he had with the Black Hat Gang. They were a bunch of terrible cowboys who were...cows, for a lack of a better term. Meaning that they had the features of the milk-giving beasts, though they all stood on two legs. The Black Hat Gang were notorious thieves, willing to do anything to get their treasure. They had surrounded Rattle Shake in Iron Jaw Gulch, demanding that he lead them to the center of an ancient volcano where they could find treasure. Rattle Shake summoned the might of snakes to help him get them off his back.

Anyone who heard the commotion described it as an epic tale. They insisted that Rattle Shake had charmed giant cobras to aid him in a glorious battle in ridding the region of the awful bovines.

Only Rattle Shake knew the truth.

Those bovines had been scared off by a bunch of pesky gopher snakes.

It was the biggest lie he had ever told. No, he didn't specifically say anything to spread the rumors- but he certainly didn't try to convince people otherwise. It was probably that incident that convinced Portal Master Eon to make Rattle Shake a Skylander. He had been looking for strong, brave souls to fight for the well-being of Skylands' citizens, and Rattle Shake seemed to fit the bill.

But Rattle Shake was no hero. He was just a big coward who was clever enough to avoid a fight.

Even so, he knew he had never wanted to kill a single living person. Now look at what he'd done.

Rattle Shake pondered this thought one afternoon as he sat in bed. Nobody had come by to see him yet. The summer sun came through the window, lighting up the room. How dare the day be so beautiful when his heart felt so bleak. He had to break out of this guilt somehow. It was never going to go away at this rate. Of course, Rattle Shake figured that the guilt would never go away- but he couldn't mope about it for the rest of his life.

He rose out of bed, slithering toward the door. Time to let the truth come out. The Skylanders had to know what a liar he had been. They'd all put his trust in him, and he had fooled them all. Maybe the universe would forgive him if Rattle Shake told the truth.

Rattle Shake slithered down the stairs and turned right to the kitchen. He found Wash Buckler sitting at the table, showing Trap Shadow a card trick. Neither of them seemed different after the battle from weeks before- not even Wash Buckler, who could've been the one that died that day instead of the Drow. Did they ever feel pain like this? Time to find out.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Rattle Shake asked.

Wash Buckler and Trap Shadow turned their attention toward him when he spoke. They looked at Rattle Shake as if he were a ghost. It had been so long since he'd set foot (or tail) into the kitchen.

"Hey Shaky!" Trap Shadow greeted him. "You're a sight for sore eyes! Are you feeling better?"

"No," Rattle Shake insisted. "That's why I came down here, actually. I need to talk to you."

"That's good," Wash Buckler mumbled, uncertain of this idea. "I'm glad you've come around. Dodging the problem doesn't make it go away. Of course...this could simply mean that you're facing worse trouble than we first thought."

Rattle Shake pulled up a chair and sat down. "Have either of you ever killed anyone before?" he asked. "I'm not trying to sound sinister or anything like that. I mean, have your duties ever asked you to do it? Were you given no choice in the matter, if the case may be?"

Trap Shadow merely shrugged at the question. "I've hunted animals for food plenty of times," he said. "Was hard the first time around, but it soon got easier. It was a survival choice I had to make."

"Did you ever feel guilt over it?" Rattle Shake hoped.

"Well it's not like I want to do it. I'm hungry. It's either the animal or me."

"I certainly hope you don't have that mindset living here at the base," Wash Buckler begged him.

Trap Shadow glared at the Mermasquid. "Do you not understand what assuming does?" he asked. "You know, that's a very bad habit you have, considering that you weren't in a very righteous place before becoming a Skylander."

Rattle Shake knew that tale all too well. Wash Buckler had been a pirate, leader of his own scurvy crew that, as opposed to plundering islands, went about doing good deeds. Of course, Trap Shadow wasn't referring to that. He was referring to the time before, when Wash Buckler didn't have a choice in the matter as to what happened.

"Did it upset you, every time you had to take a life?" Rattle Shake asked Wash Buckler.

"Of course it did," Wash Buckler promised him. "It was the complete opposite of what I wanted to do with my life. But we had orders from the captain, and often it was something we had to do to stay alive. Every time my blade cut through someone's torso, I began to hate myself more and more."

"You feel guilty about it?"

"Yeah, we both...Are you trying to relate? To figure out how to deal with the guilt?"

Rattle Shake nodded.

"Shaky, you don't _get_ to relate to us," Trap Shadow argued. "Neither of us could avoid it, and yours happened out of sheer accident. It wasn't your fault. That Drow's death isn't on your hands."

"It might as well be!" Rattle Shake yelled. "I did nothing to try and save him! Inaction is the same thing!"

"Hey hey hey! Easy!" Wash Buckler quickly said. "There was a lot of activity going on during that battle, none of us were sure what was going on, and everything went by too fast for you to even think about saving him. You didn't kill him, Shake. Now just relax and stop beating yourself up about it. We know how you feel. That feeling will go away. Just give it time."

"I've already given it several weeks, and it still hurts as if it were yesterday."

"I know."

"When is it supposed to go away?"

"I'm not sure. It can take a long time to get over something like this. But it helps not to dwell on it. Eventually you'll forget why it had such a big impact on you."

He had to be lying about that. Rattle Shake knew in his heart that it would never get easier. There were people in this world that never got over guilt such as this. They lived with it the rest of their lives, the dread eating at their core. Rattle Shake felt that this would be a part of him for the rest of his life, carrying a reminder of the thing he hadn't tried to stop.

"Hey, let's forget all this deep inner turmoil for a minute, shall we?" Trap Shadow interrupted. "The training room is just below the kitchen. Let's get some sparring done. It's been a while since you've done anything productive."

"Just for a few minutes, Shake?" Wash Buckler agreed. "Try to do something other than dwell on it."

He really wasn't in the mood for sparring. But Rattle Shake followed them down to the training room regardless. He had to move on from this, in any way he could. Or, at least, he had to try.

Oh darn! He forgot to tell them that he was a coward! That was important. He should've remembered that. The lie had to go away, and it never would if it simply stayed in the dark like this.

Rattle Shake stayed back for a few moments, watching Wash Buckler and Trap Shadow spar with each other. Doubt toward his abilities clouded his mind. What if he were to hurt them during this time? He'd definitely never forgive himself for that.

Don't think about it! That destiny would be assured, then.

"Trap Shadow! Why don't the two of us spar one-on-one?" Rattle Shake asked.

Trap Shadow gave a wide, toothy grin. He couldn't be more pleased at the thought. The cat launched himself at Rattle Shake, but missed when the snake dodged out of the way. Rattle Shake launched venom from his snake gun, aiming just above Trap Shadow's head.

"Bonus points if you hit the center!" Trap Shadow taunted. He always liked to taunt during training.

Rattle Shake complied, swiping his tail underneath Trap Shadow's legs. Though tripped up, the cat was quickly back on his feet. He launched once more, just nicking Rattle Shake on the shoulder. The attack was quick- he could hardly notice it.

The same thing could happen during any battle.

"Trap Shadow! Stop that!" Wash Buckler yelled.

The warning came too late. Rattle Shake was hit on the side of his head by a large bear trap. It was one of the few weapons that Trap Shadow had- he preferred to pounce on his enemies. The cat had held onto a large chain, swinging the bear trap attached to it in a large circle, unaware that his sparring partner hadn't noticed.

The pain was certainly evident. Rattle Shake's ear rang for a moment, his head fuzzy. Both quickly went away, leaving the side of his face the true victim. Blood trickled from his nose, the trap hitting him just shy of his mouth.

"Heck! I didn't mean that!" Trap Shadow gasped. "I thought you noticed! I'm so sorry!"

Rattle Shake looked at Trap Shadow's face. Eyes wide, mouth agape, he just looked petrified. Was it true that someone could feel that kind of fear? Did all of the Skylanders have that fear at some point?

Wash Buckler had quickly grabbed a damp washcloth, handing it to Rattle Shake for him to use. "It was just a big mistake," he insisted. "All of this. He didn't mean to actually hit you."

"I get that," Rattle Shake replied. "I was just too big of a coward to move away."

Trap Shadow knelt down to hug him, continually apologizing for the injury. It sounded like he felt guilty over this. It didn't sound like that during their conversation earlier- hurting or killing something was just part of Trap Shadow's job. Now it was certain that he truly did care if he killed something, especially if it was a friend.

"You don't have to apologize," Rattle Shake insisted. "I know it was an accident that you hit me."

"No, no, it's more than that," Trap Shadow admitted. "I was right there when Wash Buckler was being attacked. I could've done something to save him, to keep you from suffering like this. But I was too scared- I could hardly figure out what I wanted to do. You're no coward, Shake. You were braver than the rest of us."

Rattle Shake felt no less like a coward. He wasn't even sure if Trap Shadow was lying just to make him feel better. But the tears fell down his face regardless. It was perfect. He'd wanted to cry, to know that the accident hadn't really been his fault, to know that someone else really did know his pain. He would be fine, Rattle Shake decided. Maybe not now, but eventually- the Skylanders would certainly make sure of that.


	10. Ghost Roaster: Bon Appetit

**LiteFox also asked me to do something for Ghost Roaster. Hope this is what you wanted.**

 **Also, I'm not sure I'll finish all requests by the end of the month, but I will get to them when I have the time.**

Chapter Ten: Bon Appetit

Olav had never had an eating problem. Or, maybe he should describe it as the reverse- he never had a problem eating. Regardless of the way it was used, Olav loved food. Anything delectable went right into his gullet, usually topped with some extravagant spice or seasoning. Or was it seasoning or spice?

Anyway, it could've had something to do with his profession. Olav was a chef, and he made the best meals that Skylands had ever seen. His specialty was a little dish known as sheep-wool stew. (It is just as it sounds, but not as bad as one would think.) It was a simple dish, needing no expert to prepare it, but it made people happy. Olav enjoyed seeing people happy.

It was a day unlike any other. Or was it, a day like any other? Yeah, the latter. Olav had started his day as he had always done, searching the mountain for wild sheep heards. He was collecting wool for his stew, and after years of practice, he'd found that wool from wild sheep tasted much better than wool that came from pets. He was out doing that, finding the wild sheep dispersed at the edge of the mountain. They moved about from step to step, as sheep do, but there was something off about the pattern. They almost seemed nervous about something.

Maybe it had something to do with the big gaping pit that existed at this very edge. Olav looked over and saw it- the big pit, swirling around with dark purple energy. The people in the village called it a crevasse, though it looked absolutely nothing like a crevasse. A crevasse was like a crack in the mountain, and this pit was definitely not on the mountain. As mysterious as it was, nobody dared to venture near it. There was something distinctly ominous about that pit.

The sheep would know that as well. So why would they venture this close to it?

Unless one of the members of the flock had...fallen in?

Could they be...mourning?

Olav would never be sure of the reason that caused him to jump down into the pit. But next thing he knew, he jumped down. He didn't think about it. He didn't even know his purpose for doing so. But Olav jumped down into that pit.

Olav had jumped in, and he spent the next several moments falling down. Falling, falling, closer and closer to the swirl. He wasn't afraid of what was going to happen- heck, he was diving head-first into the storm. After a long while, his head hit the swirling purple energy- and...he couldn't remember anything after that.

Next thing he knew, he had fallen into the Valley of the Undead. Olav immediately recognized that he was different. His hands had turned bony. His head was now a spiky skull. He'd developed a ghostly tail. Olav was Undead now. It was awful.

The curse that had caused this transformation affected him the same way it does to everyone else. Olav was furious, and he didn't know why. He wanted to punch the wall, to scream, to _kill_ something if he thought it would make him feel better. In fact, he was just about to hit the face of a rock wall, to punch it as hard as he could, until he noticed that he wasn't alone. Hiding in a small crag was a sheep with purple wool and cyan skin- was that the sheep that had fallen down here?

He recognized that he would've been angry for a long time. But he grabbed that sheep from the crag and started petting him, the anger quelled. They were together through this ordeal. Neither of them had to be alone.

He named the sheep Floyd after the first few weeks of being Undead. As for him, he decided to call himself Ghost Roaster- he didn't feel much like an Olav anymore. They had been traveling together all throughout the Underworld, hitting all the best fast-food restaurants. The best part was that they didn't have to pay for anything. The Undead didn't charge for any of their services! It was perfect- especially since Ghost was dirt-poor at this point.

Ghost and Floyd traveled far between villages in the Underworld. He found that he was hungry again, and that there were no restaurants in sight. While Floyd was content nibbling the grass that grew around these parts, Ghost knew that he wanted something more nutritious to snack on. Oh, what was he to do?

Then they came across a heavily populated village. There were no ghouls or skeletons in sight. Just puffy white spirits that floated around the town. Could he eat these? It could be possible. They were mostly ethereal.

Ghost Roaster snatched a tiny little spirit off the road, gobbling it up. It tasted airy, and also kind of creamy. Who knew that ghosts tasted like cream cakes? But he couldn't just have one- Ghost Roaster went ahead and ate everyone in sight. He chased after spirits that ran from his form, assisted by Floyd who had been aware that he was starving. This was better than free restaurant food! Fresh and wild! That's what Ghost had always chased after.

The screams didn't go unnoticed by the village's mayor. The mayor had been at that moment, as all mayors did, playing mobile games on his phone. After hearing the screams, the mayor promptly left his house, catching Ghost as he was about to put another spirit in his gullet.

"Put him down!" the mayor yelled.

Surprised, Ghost put the spirit down. All subsequent spirits hid behind the mayor, who was wearing a top hat. None of them looked all too pleased to see him.

"What is your name?" the mayor asked.

Ghost gulped. "It's Ghost Roaster," he said.

"Ghost Roaster, eh? Do you understand what you have done here?"

"Yeah. I've been eating spirits."

"You're new to the Underworld, I see. You don't understand the repurcussions that this has. Well, Ghost Roaster, since you are so inclined, you have sent several innocent spirits to the Bowels of the Underworld."

"The Underworld has bowels? I wonder how they function."

"I ought to show you myself- by imprisoning you there! It's a prison for the most sinister ghouls, as well as a prison for lost souls that happen to be attacked by hunters- or _eaten_ by you!"

Ghost Roaster gasped. He'd never meant to do that.

"And now I have to go down to the gates of the Bowels and talk with the warden Cerberus so he can let all my villagers out. He terrifies me!"

"Well someone never told that the spirits weren't snacks!"

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with me for that trip, so I can turn you in and have you imprisoned down there forever."

"What!? Imprisoned! Can't you forgive one infraction?"

"You _ate_ my villagers!"

"I won't do it again! Honest!"

The mayor sighed. "Fine. You are new to the Underworld, after all," he decided. "But I'm not letting you off with a simple slap to the wrist. I must make sure that you do indeed stop eating spirits like you promised."

The mayor put a chain on Ghost's tail. It made a loud dragging noise wherever it went. Rattle rattle, all throughout the day, no matter where he decided to go. It was a warning to all other passersby- stay away from him.

All the restaurants closed their doors when he came by. All pedestrians fled when they heard the rattling of the chain. He didn't even have to move and ghouls would quickly flee from him, avoiding eye contact as they did so. When Ghost entered a new place, one that he had never been to before, he tried picking up the chain to prevent the rattling sound. Ghouls still fled from him when they saw him- there was a spiked ball at the end of the chain, so it must've looked like he wanted to hurt them.

Eventually Floyd ran away as well, when he found the rattling of the chain too unbearable to be near. Ghost had tried chasing him down that day, but that only made the sheep move faster. Floyd was gone before he could do anything about it. And Ghost was truly alone for the first time in the Underworld.

"Fine! Go ahead and leave!" Ghost yelled at him. "Who need you, anyway!?"

 _Other than me?_

He hid in a cave that night, crying himself to sleep. Ghost was at a loss for what to do. Nobody in the Underworld wanted to be near him. He hadn't been to the surface since the transformation, but going back there wasn't an option, either. The mortals couldn't possibly know of the things he'd done, and they would still see him as a monster. There was no way around that. What else could he do?

Ghost could make the people happy, he realized. Nobody would be happy as long as he was around. Before he fell into that pit, all he'd ever wanted was to make people happy. How had that changed so drastically? How had he messed up so poorly in that area? Well Ghost would make up for that, he decided. He would return to the surface and make sure nobody was unhappy around him ever again.

The next morning, he traveled down a winding path- or should he say, he traveled _up_ a winding path? Because the path he went on eventually led back to the surface. Ghost emerged into a large, vibrant forest. Everything was so lush and green. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. The birds were also singing. The forest was full of life- that was nice.

Ghost took his time, taking in the sights. Before, he might've rushed through here as he tried to get to his destination. He would miss everything here if he did so. Ghost still had his goal in mind, but there were no people around, so he still had time.

Should he have rushed through the area, he might've missed a crime in progress.

Ghost heard a struggle in the thicket of the woods. He raced forward, trying to see what was happening. He emerged into a clearing, seeing several Drow bandits attacking an orc wearing a dragon skull on his head. The orc was slumped over a rock, bruised and beaten badly, only the movement of his breathing to prove that he was still alive. The bandits were currently fighting over his belongings, trying to decide who should get what.

Furious once more, Ghost attacked. He picked up the chain and swung the ball at their bodies. They crashed to the ground, injured by the force. A bandit jabbed Ghost's head with the butt of his spear- though Ghost was unfazed. He swung the chain once more, fighting off the bandits that charged at him.

Summoning anger from the pit of his soul, Ghost Roaster then let out a blood-curdling cry. Green energy swirled around his body, his head appearing to look bigger and more threatening. The bandits got the message- stay away from him. They ran off into the woods, leaving the orc's possessions behind. The green energy dissipated, and Ghost slumped onto the ground. That had been a massive drain of energy for him.

A cough was heard nearby. Ghost looked toward the orc, who was trying to stand up.

"No no, wait! Just take it easy!" Ghost asked. "They roughed you up pretty bad, huh?"

The orc nodded, slumping back down. "Bandits jump Voodood," the orc confirmed. "No witnesses. Bandits figure that this be easy robbing."

Ghost slowly got up, moving toward the rock to sit next to him. "Is that your name?" he asked. "Voodood?"

Nod.

"My name's Ghost Roaster."

"Ghost Roaster mighty hero. Voodood not see someone fight like that before."

"I'll be honest, man. That weird green stuff- that was the first time I had ever used that."

"Voodood grateful to Ghost Roaster. Thankful to be rescued."

"Don't mention it. Hey, do you have any family in the area? Someone that I could bring you back to? Someone who needs to know that you're okay?"

Voodood sighed, shaking his head.

Ghost Roaster looked on, dumbfounded. This orc was alone as well? But orcs lived in large clans. They were never alone. What could've wiped out Voodood's clan? It was settled. Ghost would stay with Voodood- at least for the time being, in order to make sure Voodood found another clan.

Voodood didn't seem afraid of Ghost Roaster. Of course, that might've just been a coincidence. Orcs weren't easily scared by things that go bump in the night. Even if that weren't the case, Voodood was still one person out of the thousands of mortals that inhabited Skylands. Everyone else would fear Ghost, even if he saved their lives time and time again. Besides, Voodood would leave him eventually once the rattling of his chain became too much to bear- just like Floyd had. Boy did Ghost hate that sheep for leaving- despite knowing that it was his own stupid fault for getting tied to that chain in the first place.

But for now, everything was good. They had traveled together for the past two days, and Voodood didn't seem to hate him yet. Tonight, it had started raining, so they hid in a cave and decided to wait out the storm. Voodood slept comfortably enough- he must've been used to sleeping on cold, stone floors. Ghost, on the other hand, did his best to _fight_ sleep. Who would protect them if bandits decided to jump them again?

It probably wasn't the best idea he had. Ghost was still feeling considerably weak after that attack he made at the bandits. At one point he dozed off, awakening at the next thunderous boom. Voodood didn't look like he had stirred at all.

Ghost then heard voices outside of the cave. Voices that argued about some kind of attack. It then occurred to him that the thunder that had woken him hadn't happened naturally- someone had created it. But who? Ghost slowly picked up his chain, taking care that he didn't wake Voodood. As hard of a sleeper as the orc was, Ghost didn't want to take any chances.

He slowly left the cave, quietly making his way around. Rain immediately soaked through him, but he decided to ignore it. Ghost found two people hiding a few paces away from the cave. One of them was a Storm Titan, originating from the Cloud Kingdom. The other was a dragon- or, a unicorn...maybe. She looked to be both.

They were Skylanders. There was something distinctly heroic about them, and Ghost Roaster felt no need to second-guess himself this time. They were Skylanders. And they might know where Voodood could go.

"Hello there!" Ghost greeted them.

At that moment, lightning flashed before him, making his presence more terrifying. The Skylanders jumped for a moment, surprised to see him standing there. Ghost cursed himself- his appearance had disturbed them.

"Who are you?" the Storm Titan asked.

"I'm Ghost Roaster," Ghost explained. "May I ask your names?"

"...Sure. I am Lightning Rod, the fabulous, extravagant, talented, handsome, strong, brave Storm Titan of the Cloud Kingdom. There is no one equal to me in any-"

The dragicorn coughed.

"Oh, and this is my friend Whirlwind."

Ghost nodded. "What are you guys doing out here?" he asked.

"We were out patrolling the area," Whirlwind explained. "Trying to clear this place of bandits."

"Yeah, this place has a rampant bandit problem."

"Are you one of them?"

"What? No! I have a friend who was attacked by bandits. We've been traveling together for a while."

"Is he nearby?"

"Yes."

"And you said he was attacked. Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Still a little banged up, but fine. I can bring him to you, if you want."

The Skylanders nodded.

Ghost traveled back to the cave. He knew it would be wrong to just direct the Skylanders to the cave and leave. Voodood might think he abandoned him without any rhyme or reason. Ghost had to make sure he knew what the plan was. The Skylanders would never abandon a lonely soul. They'd make sure to find Voodood another clan.

As soon as he returned to the cave, he found Voodood standing upright, leaning on the side of the cave wall, waiting for him.

"Voodood! I thought you were asleep," he gasped.

"Lightning blinded Voodood," Voodood explained. "Woke up. Found Ghost Roaster gone. Thought Voodood abandoned."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you like that. I just left to check outside of the cave for a second. Listen, Voodood, I found two of the Skylanders! They can help you find a home!"

Voodood smiled at the prospect. Ghost knew that would make him happy. A home at last! It must've sounded like a miracle.

"Ghost Roaster and Voodood follow Skylanders!" Voodood decided.

Ghost's stomach lurched. He wanted them to go together. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

"Ghost Roaster mighty warrior. Good for Skylanders."

"You see, I'm not so sure. I doubt anyone else would like having me around."

"Voodood convince them."

Ghost couldn't simply leave Voodood alone. The orc still wanted him around. He would have to join them. His plans could wait for a while, until such time as they didn't want him around anymore. Then they could commence- with Ghost jumping off the islands, into the depths below. Because he had no other idea how to make them happy.

"Being alone isn't much fun," Ghost Roaster admitted. "C'mon. I'll show you where they are."

Eventually they both found that neither of them had to be alone.

 **Seriously. Who's bright idea was it to give a Skylander an upgrade that would kill them in the hub world?**

 **And it's not like you can change upgrade paths to avoid it, either.**


	11. Bat Spin: Defining Heroes

**If you remember, Sundiel asked me to write about Night Shift or Bat Spin. I wanted to make sure I got to both characters.**

Chapter Eleven: Defining Heroes

Bat Spin ducked as a troll swung his club over her head. That was a close one. With a swing like that, he could've decapitated her. Bat Spin ushered magic from her staff, summoning pet bats to chase the troll. While he was distracted trying to shoo the bats away, Bat Spin was going to knock him off his feet- but Roller Brawl sped by on her skates, swiping at the troll with her metal claws, taking that chance away.

"Thanks, kid!" Roller Brawl told her. "Keep your head up so you don't get killed!"

Bat Spin fumed. That was the only advice she had ever been given by the senior Skylanders- keep your head up. Their teaching methods weren't nearly as good as the methods used by the bats. At least the bats taught her how to fight and hold up her own in a battle. That being said, battles as a Skylander were far more dangerous.

Three more trolls advanced upon her. Bat Spin summoned dark magic that swirled around in purple mists, prepared to summon more bats into the battlefield- but the three trolls were swiftly taken out by a massive uppercut. Night Shift stood in front of her now, oblivious to the trolls flying miles away in the direction behind her.

"The enemy isn't going to give you time to charge up your attacks," he warned her. "If you don't have the chance to attack right away, then evade them."

Of course, that wasn't saying that all senior Skylanders had the same advice to give her. Night Shift was always giving her helpful pointers- he seemed to understand where she was coming from. Bat Spin was especially thankful that it was Night Shift who had been assigned as the leader of this mission in the Underworld. Roller Brawl had been asked first, for experience's sake, but she'd insisted that she wasn't ready.

Bat Spin snuck away from the trolls, charging up her magic as she did so. Trolls enclosed her in a circle- perfect timing. The magic was released, and a flurry of bats attacked the trolls. A black cascade moved over the battlefield- she'd summoned more bats than she'd intended to. She ducked away, trying to get out of the cloud. Emerging, she found her teammates in their own kind of trouble- the bats seemed to be messing with Roller Brawl, while a troll had managed to shove Night Shift into the side of a house.

This had been her fault. Now it was up to Bat Spin to fix it. The purple mist of her magic enveloped her, and she was transformed into a giant bat. She let out a battle screech, prepared for a lengthy fight-

But the trolls seemed more attentive to the giant bat than they were the millions of tiny ones flying around. They retreated, fleeing before a worse fate was thrust upon them. Their work done, the bats left as well- where they went, Bat Spin never asked.

"I think you might've overdone it a little," Roller Brawl said, gently shooing a bat away from her.

Returning to her normal form, Bat Spin replied meekly, "Those ones might like you."

"Kind of an inappropriate time to show their affection for me."

"But I wonder why they didn't go after Night Shift."

"You'll come to discover that Night Shift can be a creature-repellent."

Night Shift let out a cough, peeling himself off the wall. Bat Spin quickly hurried over to assist.

"I'm so sorry!" she insisted. "Night Shift, are you okay?"

"Probably just broke a few ribs in that last moment," Night Shift replied.

Bat Spin looked on in horror. "Ribs!?"

"Calm down, Bats, it's not that big of a deal," Roller Brawl explained. "This sort of thing happens all the time. Trust me, if we didn't have ribs, something else might get hurt."

"Like what?" Bat Spin asked.

"Oh you know, your heart, lungs, trachea, maybe your spleen depending on where it's at-"

"Roller Brawl," Night Shift spat.

Roller Brawl zipped it.

"It's nothing I'm not used to," Night Shift told Bat Spin, "but it wouldn't exactly be wise to try and get back home in my condition."

"Yeah, we should wait it out," Roller Brawl agreed. "Wait until you're not hurting so much. But not here. I don't like this place."

Bat Spin smiled. "I think I know a place where we can hide," she insisted. "It shouldn't be too far away, and I know it's safe."

"Lead the way, then."

* * *

"...And then the team leader from the Darklight Crusher Skulls tried to cut me off- she had the gall to _try_ and cut me off!" Roller Brawl exclaimed. "Her gear scraped down into the lower layers of my skin- it would've bled if I were mortal. I was gonna have none of that, so I shoved back! She fell to the ground, and the leader of my team finished the final lap and earned us our victory."- Roller Brawl took the glove off her right hand, flashing them the long scar on her wrist- "And that is how I received this scar."

"That sounds like it hurt," Bat Spin stammered.

"Roller derby isn't for the faint of heart, kid. Anyway, that competition was from my early years. It took me a while before I perfected my skill."

They were sitting in a dark cave in the night, having lit a campfire for warmth. There were nests lined up along the farther back wall of the cave, where the colony of bats living here stayed during the day. While vampires and bats had a mutual respect for one another, derived from the ancestors they shared, bats were territorial and unwilling to share their homes with strangers- it was Bat Spin who convinced these bats to let them stay for the night. This cave was her home, and that colony was her family.

"You're proud of that flimsy scar?" Night Shift scoffed playfully. "I have better scars than that."

"From where?" Roller Brawl asked. "Can't be from your boxing career. You people all wear gloves. That hardly counts for scarring."

"Who said it was from my boxing career?"

Night Shift turned slightly on his side. (He had been laying on the ground to lessen the pain of the broken ribs.) He moved the collar of his shirt down slightly, revealing a large dark gash on the side of his neck.

"By the Ancients! Where did _that_ come from?!" Bat Spin gasped.

"My first mission as a Skylander," Night Shift smirked. "Drow spearman cut me deep. Even after feasting on a few rabbits, the wound never quite disappeared completely."

"So that's from your _very_ first mission as a Skylander?" Roller Brawl persisted.

Nod.

"Well that's _one_ way to commemorate the occasion."

"You two can't be serious," Bat Spin argued. "The pain had to be immense. Those scars will be there forever. How can you smile about them?"

Night Shift settled back down. "We're more experienced in battle than you are," he explained. "We've learned to see these scars as badges. They show other people that you can't be knocked down easily, and should be taken seriously."

Bat Spin deflated. "Then nobody will ever take me seriously," she sighed.

"Don't say that," Roller Brawl said. "Something will happen that will cut you deep and you can walk off. It just takes time."

"Well I know it will never happen. I just use bats to fight my battles- and that's hardly fair, considering everything they've done for me."

"There are plenty of Skylanders who summon allies to fight their battles. Magic is one of those tricky things to wrap your head around- the two of us can't really help you there. But if you're hoping for a confidence booster, try getting closer to the enemies before you attack. You always hang back before you deliver a blow, so think about taking a chance and moving up closer. Yeah, you might get hurt, but if you're looking to receive a scar to prove your worth, then it's something you have to do."

"But the magic I perform needs space to come out properly. That's the only reason why I focused on it so much."

"What about that scary bat thing you did before? Where you turned into a bat? That could prove useful."

"Please. The enemy will get scared off long before I can use it. I hardly think I even know what I'll do with it should I get the chance."

Roller Brawl looked toward her shoulder, biting her lip. What could she be thinking right now? That she was right and the bat form was useless?

"None of this is anything you have to worry about right now," Night Shift promised. "You're still in training, Bat Spin. You still have time to sort everything out and become the kind of Skylander you feel most proper being."

Time was a fickle being. Bat Spin had always known that. People will delay their actions, positive that they "still have time" to do what they need to do, until no time is left and they realize too late that they've squandered it. She didn't like wasting time. With that in mind, her place in the Skylanders seemed temporary. She had no idea what she was going to do. She had no idea how she was going to sort herself out. The Skylanders also told her not to worry- but with very few options laid out in front of her, what else could Bat Spin do?

Roller Brawl got up, walking toward the cave entrance. "Unless the two of you have any objections," she began, "I think I'm going to look around the perimeter. Make sure everything really _is_ safe. To tell you the truth, I'm still feeling really nervous."

"Think the trolls might be hiding somewhere?" Night Shift asked.

"I'm not sure. Either that, or something much worse is after us."

"Go ahead, then. You can never be too careful, after all."

Bat Spin looked up at Roller Brawl. "But the cave is safe...," she muttered, mainly to herself. The cave was safe, but there had been one instance where it needed to be protected- the event that got her into the Skylanders to begin with. She then asked, "You're coming straight back, right?"

"Once around the perimeter, then straight back," Roller Brawl promised.

"Okay."

They watched Roller Brawl leave. Bat Spin was starting to feel nervous as well, except she was _certain_ that something else was out there. The Skylanders' job wasn't yet complete here. Bat Spin was nervous purely because she was afraid of what might happen to Roller Brawl. She looked at the bats nestled in the back of the cave. They didn't seem scared of anything. So what could be out there that only she could feel?

"Night Shift, do you think you'll be okay by yourself?" Bat Spin asked. "I think I should follow Roller Brawl."

"That might be a good idea if she finds what she's looking for," Night Shift agreed. "Give Roller Brawl some backup. If anything should come here, I'll head deeper into the cave."

Bat Spin nodded, and left in order to find Roller Brawl.

* * *

The night seemed empty and lonely. Not a single star could be seen over the think, wispy clouds that hovered above. Contrary to mortal belief, the Underworld did have a night sky that contained stars- though it's not often that the stars come out. Bat Spin walked around the outside of the cave, trying to find where Roller Brawl went. That feeling in her gut grew worse and worse, and she started growing scared.

Bat Spin found Roller Brawl standing adjacent to the cave, her back facing her. She was hardly moving, and only a slight breeze waved her braid. Had something entranced her? Bat Spin inched closer to her, staff in hand, and gently poked her in the back. Roller Brawl flipped out, surprised, and turned around to try and attack the thing that startled her- but quickly ceasing to see Bat Spin there.

"What are you doing here?" Roller Brawl asked.

"Following you," Bat Spin explained. "I got worried, so I decided to accompany you."

"Is Night Shift still in the cave?"

"Yes. He told me he'd be fine."

"Of course he did."

"I know the bats will keep him safe, should worse come to worse. They recognize Night Shift as my friend, and understand that he's injured."

Roller Brawl nodded. "I could use a little backup, anyway," she decided. She turned back around, pointing in one direction. "Look over there. Do you see that?"

Bat Spin did. A cloud rose up from afar. Of course, it was no mere cloud, she saw, for the color was much darker. "Smoke," she confirmed.

"There's nothing to worry about concerning the cave, but that over there is definitely what I was worried about," Roller Brawl explained. "How far away do you think that is?"

"A couple miles northwest, at least."

"I think we should investigate."

"Are you sure?"

Nod.

"I'm here to follow your lead."

Bat Spin followed Roller Brawl in the direction of the smoke. There was determination to be found in Roller Brawl. Nothing would sway her from this decision now. Bat Spin thought she would've made an excellent mission leader. Why would she say no, then?

They made it to the source of the smoke- and were appalled at what they saw. Marauders had set fire to a village, sending the humble ghouls and ghosts fleeing for their lives. They weren't trolls, but they also weren't ghouls themselves- not in the traditional sense, cursed or otherwise. Horns grew from their head, their purple skin broken in horrible cracks. They saw no difference in who they attacked, and also felt no pity toward the victims.

And Bat Spin remembered them.

Her village had been attacked like this as well, by the same marauders. She remembered very little of her old life, but the attack was drilled into her heart. Bat Spin remembered the screaming from the other vampires as they were slaughtered or chained up for purposes she had been too young to understand. Bat Spin's father had carried her out of the village, away from the fire, trying to meet up with other survivors of this purge- until she was separated from him as well.

"Bat Spin!" Roller Brawl shouted.

Bat Spin was broken away from the memory. "What is it?" she gasped.

"There's too many of them down there. I think we could use your bats like last time."

"You actually want to fight them?"

"Why not? Nobody else is coming to save these people."

"There's no fighting these guys."

"Then nobody's ever tried it, before."

Bat Spin agreed, almost at the verge of tears. She summoned the purple mists once more, unleashing the bats on the marauders. The creatures went after them, allowing Roller Brawl to jump down and bash a few skulls in. Bat Spin watched from afar, covering her mouth to avoid inhaling smoke from the flames. There was nothing she could do to help Roller Brawl. Besides, it looked like she had everything under control.

Something hit her on her side, slicing into the skin on her arm. Bat Spin had been forced onto the ground. The wound went deep, her arm stinging with pain. She looked up at a marauder who had his staff held in front of her. He possessed dark, empty eyes, and Bat Spin couldn't see a soul in them.

"I recognize your breed of vampire, child," the marauder spoke with a deep grating voice. "We have a whole lot of them working in the mines. If you stay still, maybe we could reunite you with your family."

A fury exploded inside of her. "THEY'RE ALL _DEAD_!" she hollered.

The purple mist enveloped her, and she transformed into a bat. She gave out a loud screeching, enough to cause the marauder to cover his ears in pain. The screech cascaded over the entire village- while no villagers had been hurt, having all managed to flee, the marauders left in the area had their ears bleed. Unlike the trolls, they weren't fleeing.

Bat Spin grabbed the marauder in front of her, biting his leg with her fangs, and tossed him to the side. He crashed into a crowd of his comrades, ones that Roller Brawl had been about to ram into with her helmet. Bat Spin flew after them, ready to deal more damage. But the pain from her wound flared up again, and she reverted to her vampire form, gripping her arm. It stung like sharp needles, one after the other, keeping her from fighting.

"Look at you!" Roller Brawl cried. "You got yourself hurt! C'mon, let's get out of here- besides, it looks like these guys got the message."

Bat Spin nodded, following Roller Brawl out of the village. Her arm ached with pain from the wound, distracting her from her goal. Roller Brawl noticed, and slowed down in order to help her. They walked back instead of running, the smoke getting farther and farther away from them. Bat Spin felt guilty. She'd wanted to pay those marauders back, to ensure that they knew not to hurt another soul ever again.

They hadn't made it back to the cave yet when a few bats met up with them. Some sat upon Bat Spin's shoulders, gently kissing her face with small tongue licks, understanding the turmoil she went through. She and Roller Brawl also found Night Shift following the bats, slightly limping as he pressed a hand to his side.

"What do you think you're doing?" Roller Brawl asked him.

"The bats started looking frightened, so I decided to follow them out here," Night Shift insisted. "Might've had something to do with Bat Spin."

Roller Brawl smirked. "Sure. That's why you're out here."

Bat Spin showed her wound to them. Night Shift tore off a piece of his shirt, wrapping it around her arm as tight as he could. With pressure on the wound, she didn't have to hold it to suppress the pain. The rest of the bat colony flocked around them, hovering in a circle. Everyone was now safe.

"We found smoke several miles away from here," Roller Brawl explained. "You all should've seen it. There were these weird marauder guys that set fire to everything in a small village. They had large horns and ugly skin, and they were attacking anyone they could find! I'm not sure if the victims would've made it out safe and sound if we hadn't come to their aid."

"Will they come back here?" Night Shift asked.

"I don't think so. Hopefully they're smart enough to figure out that if they come back, so will the Skylanders."

Night Shift turned back toward Bat Spin. "Are you both okay?" he persisted.

Bat Spin shook her head. "No," she pouted. " _I'm_ not okay. Those mauraders were the same ones that destroyed my home when I was a child. I wanted to make them suffer for everything they took away from me, but I wouldn't have been strong enough to do so."

Night Shift let her in for a hug. Bat Spin leaned in, sobbing. The bats perched on all of them, trying to let her know that they were here for her.

"A hero knows when to give it their all _and_ when to let up on an enemy," Night Shift explained. "They also know when to charge into battle _and_ make a hasty retreat. There's a balance to everything, one that takes time to find. You still have time. And you have a family that won't let you fail in this path."

"It also takes time to gain the kind of confidence needed in a battle," Roller Brawl added. "So don't beat yourself up if you don't feel it right now. You're still in training. You need more experience to develop every skill you have. Just relax and in the meantime, trust us to help you along."

Bat Spin stopped crying, smiling from their words. Yes, everything took time. Time to adjust to the wounds received. Time to grow into a hero. Time to realize how lucky she had it right now.

 **Yeah, in my canon, Night Shift has a soft spot for Bat Spin like he does for Freeze Blade- though in the case of the former, it's brought about by a similar vampiric lineage.**


	12. Spyro: Spyro's Dragon Temple

**For those of you who still have requests that need to be done, I am holding off on those for now. I'm having a little bit of difficulty getting those specific characters' personalities accurate. I have heeded the requests, and I will get to them at a later date.**

Chapter Twelve: Spyro's Dragon Temple

Before becoming the leader of the Skylanders, Spyro was just like the rest of them.

That's not saying the other Skylanders aren't equal to Spyro in anyway. Oh no, that's not what this is about.

But there was a time when Spyro was simply another face in that enormous crowd. The Skylanders often had their own cliques, preferring to hang out with the people they trusted the most. Spyro couldn't quite fit into one specific group, unsure of where he wanted to be. That being said, the Skylanders vaguely recognized him as one of their own, very few even knowing his name- those that did hated him.

The hatred was mostly fueled by the strong bond Spyro shared with their Portal Master Eon. Eon was the last good Portal Master in Skylands, and was the one that directed everyone to their missions. He'd taken Spyro under his wing, and they had formed a Skylander-Portal Master bond. A bond like that couldn't be broken, all Portal Masters detached from simple philosophies knew- but the Skylanders, like all other denizens of the universe, could only know those simple philosophies. It was hardly understood as to how bonding worked, and it was thought that a bond could be destroyed just like anything else.

"Spyro, I have an important mission for you," Eon told Spyro one day in the Citadel's meeting room.

"I'm ready for anything," Spyro promised. "What is it? Bandits in the Perilous Pastures? Gnorcs in the Summer Forest? Trolls in-"

"A terrible black dragon has been pillaging Skylands for several weeks now. Villages have been destroyed. People have gotten hurt."

"Any casualties?"

"Not that we know of yet. I've sent several Skylander teams out to defeat the dragon, and they've all come back with little success. It seems to feed off the shadows, healing from its wounds and becoming stronger than anything we can face. You must fight the dragon alone. Throw it off from our usual tactics. Get the dragon high into the air in the middle of the day, away from the shadows cast by the floating islands, and I know your power will be enough to destroy the dragon."

Spyro's heart sank. "Destroy?" he stammered. "But the Skylanders don't 'destroy' anything."

"It can be hard to understand," Eon said gravely. "This is a hard fact to accept, Spyro, but the Skylanders do resort to destruction from time to time. When the greater good needs to be protected, and no other alternatives can be found, drastic measures need to be taken to ensure the safety and security of the innocent. This dragon is a threat to that peace, and there is nothing more we can do. It cannot be allowed to live another moment with its warmongering ways. Please Spyro, I need you to listen to your heart. You must do what is necessary for Skylands, no matter the cost. The situation is more drastic this time."

Spyro nodded. "I'll do what is right," he promised.

That is what had led Spyro to Stonetown, a small, insignificant village in the middle of Skylands, where the dragon Master Eon had described was found. Blue fire rested on the houses, slowly turning them to ashes. The townspeople were backed up into a corner, the dragon advancing on them. Sparks danced off of Its body, a sort of purple electricity. It didn't relent, nor waver, nor pause in Its quest for desolation.

"Hey!" Spyro shouted. "Why don't you face me?"

The dragon turned to see him. Silver spikes protruded from the sides of Its head. A brand was set on Its forehead. The dragon looked at Spyro blankly, pale eyes glowing purple with the rest of Its sickly aura.

"I won't let you hurt another soul," Spyro said, staring the dragon in the eye, refusing to waver. He knew what was going to happen. He had to kill this unfeeling, unloving thing, if only to save these people.

"Bring it on, then," the dragon replied in an ominous, echoing voice.

Lightning shot at Spyro, barely giving him enough time to dodge the attack. His wings had been hit, aching with terrible burns. That was more power than he'd ever seen in his life. Spyro fled out of the way of another lightning attack, hiding behind a house. He tried to fly, but the pain stung deeply when he tried to flap his wings.

He had been grounded.

The thing somehow knew that Spyro wanted to get It into the air.

It had the advantage.

His heart pounded in his chest, the sweat rushing down. Spyro leaned from the corner, blasting fireballs at the thing. The moment It turned around, Spyro rushed behind another house to avoid the lightning rush. The electricity sparked out, reaching for something, but fortunately never grabbing it. The shadows moved, and the thing had flown to the spot that Spyro had previously been. More fireballs shot. More lightning rained down. Spyro was hit on the tail, needles rushing to his chest, and he just barely made it back to the center of the ruins. He ran inside the derelict remains of a shambling house as the thing once again flew through the shadows, shooting lightning from Its mouth. Buildings were blown away from the resulting blast.

"Don't make me do this!" the thing cried.

Spyro recognized the tone of voice used. Shame was laced through there, as well as guilt, regret, and sorrow. There was a person in that thing, trying to regain control, wishing no harm to come to the purple dragon. Spyro couldn't kill It now. Heck, he didn't even have the ability to. What was Master Eon thinking, sending him out alone to face the threat?

Spyro ran to another abandoned house. The dragon flew through the shadows into the derelict shack he had previously hid in, obliterating it. He ran to another house, and the dragon destroyed that other one as well. It was a chase that was created, all throughout the village, until all but one house had been destroyed. No search had to be made. There was nowhere else that Spyro could hide.

The dragon lunged out from the dark, pouncing on Spyro. His back to the ground, he had been pinned, staring into the thing's lifeless eyes. He could almost see an outline of color, shades that made out irises and pupils. The eyes seemed so familiar, yet Spyro knew this was the first time he had seen this dragon. His eyes cast down, noticing a chain hanging from the dragon's neck- a red amulet. Maybe that was…?

"You should have stayed back," the dragon growled somberly.

The dragon opened its mouth, white sparks dancing inside, prepared to completely eradicate Spyro by turning him into a pile of cinders. Spyro grabbed the amulet, yanking it off. Electricity bounced from the piece of jewelry, burning his paw and forcing him to drop it. Sparks also bounced from the dragon, shooting all around. He pushed It off of him, shooting flames at the amulet. The amulet sizzled and burned, cracking with a loud explosive _pop!_ Spyro saw the dragon on the ground, writhing in contortions, the sparks launching higher and higher. Sensing the danger, he bolted out of the house, back onto the green of the village, ushering all bystanders away.

They didn't get far before the house exploded, sending planks and splinters flying from all directions. Everyone ducked for cover, avoiding the force of the blows that the wood sent. Smoke wafted over the village after this, a gentle breeze clearing it away to show that the battle was over. Spyro looked up, seeing the house completely obliterated. A giant black ring was left, created by the force of the explosion.

Murmurs wafted from the crowd, the number one question being "is it dead?" Spyro stood up, walking over to investigate. He was limping, the burn remaining on his paw- it might turn into a callus later. He walked over to the ring, looking in. The amulet couldn't be seen, but the dragon remained. He walked inside, walking next to the dragon. Spyro couldn't believe the change- the dragon's scales were now violet in color, no longer possessing a dark aura. The form was now much clearer, making Spyro realize that his enemy had been female. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily. Spyro looked back at the crowd, all of them looking at him expectantly, hoping he would do something.

Like what? End her life? That was what Spyro had technically been sent here to do. But…he couldn't do it. He looked at the dragon's resting form, seeing no darkness or hatred. She was perfectly normal this way, as if she hadn't been a monster at all. She could be redeemed. She could change. No, no, Spyro wasn't going to kill her.

* * *

A few days later, things at the Core of Light, and in Skylands, returned to normal. While Spyro enjoyed the serenity, he often found it unusual and frightening. How could this world face a near-apocalyptic event and keep on living after the danger passed? As if nothing had ever happened. He didn't get it, as glad as he was that everything was safe.

The dragoness had been brought to the medical ward after the battle. While her survival had been confirmed, she was still comatose. No doubt that she would feel jarred when she came to. Spyro would probably be the only one who knew enough to help her adjust. At this point in time, nobody else exactly…knew who she was.

"Can you tell me exactly how the battle with the dragon went down again?" Master Eon said.

Spyro had been sitting in the medical ward beside the dragoness, watching over her. He had been surprised to discover that Eon had sought him out. Was he in trouble? Had the Portal Master caught him for lying?

Spyro cleared his throat. "It began in Stonetown, when I found the heartless monster beating up this dragon," he lied. "Everything had been destroyed when I arrived, burning in flames. Everyone else had run away, and the dragon had caught the last refugee who couldn't quite get out in time. It seemed to want to watch her suffer, to slowly kill her and see her pain."

"That seems odd. The dragon hadn't displayed any methods of torture in the past when other Skylander groups tracked it down."

"I thought it was weird too, Master. Anyway, of course I wasn't going to just stand by, so I lured the dragon away from her. I did as you said, and fought the creature in the sky. Flame danced with lightning, intertwining in a great battle of hatred and ferocity. When the last blow was delivered, the dragon dissipated in the air, and I saw no sign of it after that. I know it's gone."

"And where did you get the burns that the medics treated you for?"

"I went into the fire to save the dragoness. The flames had spread that far by the time I got back down, and I had to hurry to save her."

"And why did you bring her here?"

The answer remained the same- the only truthful part of the story. "I don't know," Spyro replied. "This just seemed like the best place for her."

Eon nodded. He then took out a piece of paper from his robe, looking it over. "I believe that will be enough information necessary in order to write it into the Scrolls," he noted.

"You need it to be accurate?" Spyro stammered. "Master, I've read the Story Scrolls in the library. They're always embellished."

"This isn't a simple Story Scroll that I'm working on. This is a Skylander Scroll- yours, to be specific. Just like Skylands has a Story Scroll detailing parts of its history, each Skylander has their own Scroll detailing their own history. Their stories are tracked, new details added whenever new exploits are created, and thus stored for new Skylanders and Portal Masters to read and study."

"You're expecting to find new Portal Masters?"

"Yes, but not now. That should come in the future, when things become more serious."

Spyro looked at the Scroll. That was his? What would he find? What had been written down in there? He almost thought to ask and look. Eon would allow him that, he knew. Spyro decided against it. He already knew of the mediocre tasks that had to have been written down in there, so there was no need to look.

"I hope you don't have any trouble writing, then," Spyro told Eon.

Eon didn't look up, still studying the Scroll. "Thank you for your kind wishes, but I'm afraid they've come too late," he sighed. "I'm already having trouble. For the life of me, I can't seem to get those words down. My heart isn't into the story. I thought hearing it again might help me, but I still can't think of what to say in the Scroll."

"Ugh, writer's block. That always stinks."

Eon suddenly looked at the purple dragon. "Spyro, you don't have to stay here and wait for her to come to," he insisted. "Why don't you head out and train? It won't do you any good moping about the Citadel."

That was a big problem. Spyro had to be here when the dragoness woke up. Suppose she came to when Spyro was gone and Eon was here. She might be inclined to tell Eon what had happened to her- the truth- and who knows what Eon would do once he found out that Spyro had lied? Nothing good could come from that.

"You're not worried about me, are you?" Spyro asked.

"I am worried about you," Eon admitted. "I asked so much from you. You are strong-willed and valiant, but I still recognize you as a child that might get stressed or scared from a mission as important as the one I gave you. And it is a big order, asking you to take another life- even the most seasoned Skylanders get upset at the prospect. You're not having trouble performing daily activities?"

He wasn't bothered by the battle. It didn't haunt him in the day. "No," Spyro replied. "I mean, I'm not having trouble."

"What about at night? Are you having nightmares?"

Well…he was. But they weren't about fire and destruction like Spyro thought they might be. "Nope," he fibbed.

"You're not at all troubled by what you had to do?"

He was…but not in the way Eon was asking. "I'm fine, Master Eon," Spyro insisted. "Trust me. If I was having any major troubles, you'd be the first person I talked to."

Eon nodded. "Of course you would," he agreed. "I'd still like you to head out and train, though. Just to be safe."

Spyro got up. "Fine, I'm going," he replied. "I'm going to bring forth a Daybringer Flame the likes of which you've never seen, Master!"

Eon chuckled, saying, "I'm sure you will."

Spyro left the medical ward, walking down the halls of the Citadel. His worries came back to him. Yes, he'd been having nightmares. But instead of fire residing in them, there were horrid ape-like beings bringing destruction, crushing and stealing eggs, tearing down walls and trees. He wasn't sure where they came from, but he'd started having them when he brought the dragoness home. She seemed so familiar, but Spyro was so certain that he'd never seen her before. It was baffling, and he couldn't wrap his head around it.

And in accordance with the battle, it wasn't what he'd done that brought his woes, but rather what he hadn't done. At least, the future that was to come of this. Spyro didn't regret leaving the dragoness alive, but at the same time he wasn't sure if it was indeed the right choice Master Eon had wanted him to make. And more from that, once again Spyro had to wonder what would happen should the truth of the matter be discovered. What would the punishment be for lying, especially about something as important as this?

During his walk, Spyro realized that other Skylanders had been looking at him. He looked at them, and they were staring at him intently. He kept on walking. A few Skylanders were walking down the same hallway he was, and speedily scampered off when he came by. They hugged their backs to the walls, also staring. Spyro was baffled by this. Before, nobody had noticed him. What had changed?

"Hey guys," Spyro smiled awkwardly. "How's it going?"

"Fine, fine," an elven Skylander insisted. "Hey, you did a great job fighting off that terrible dragon. None of us could even leave a scratch on it."

Spyro nodded. "Thanks," he replied.

He kept on walking, taking a flight of stairs. Skylanders avoided him there as well. Spyro walked, exiting the main lobby and heading outside to the training yard. Skylanders had been attacking dummies there, but fled when they saw him. A few of them had fear in their eyes. This was even more mysterious. What had Spyro done?

"How are you guys on this lovely day?" Spyro stammered.

"Fine," one draconic Skylander replied. "We're all fine. Are you fine?"

"I'm…fine."

The other Skylander had said that they were fine as well. That seemed oddly suspicious. "Fine" was a bland word, used to tell someone else that they were okay when everything really wasn't, or just to get someone to leave you alone. Spyro felt like kicking himself, realizing that he'd said the exact same word to Master Eon. Had Eon been convinced of the fib?

So he decided to ask, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not really," a water-based Skylander insisted. "You're just…really intimidating."

Spyro looked down at himself, sure that he was small enough not to be considered intimidating.

"Not everyone could face off against a demon such as that dragon and live. You must be something else."

Murmurs rose from the crowd. Spyro looked at every single one of them. Were they scared of him? Just because he faced off against the evil dragon? Or was his perceived ruthlessness the threat that they saw? He'd never wanted to make enemies here. Could he actually be dangerous?

"SPYRO!" a voice shouted- Eon's voice. Spyro looked up at the Citadel, finding the old Portal Master poking his head out of a window. From the position of the window, he was probably in the medical ward. Though he was too far away to properly see, Spyro sensed that Eon was angry.

"Yes, Master?" Spyro muttered.

"Come up here," Eon replied, his tone calm but its meaning bitter.

Spyro flew upward, toward the window that Eon had been looking out. He met the Portal Master's face. Eon had a bland expression, not quite a frown but still close to being one. Anger boiled in his eyes. Spyro's heart pounded. He immediately knew what was wrong.

"Spyro, I was looking at the dragoness you saved, and I couldn't help but notice that she had a brand on her forehead," Eon began.

Spyro had noticed that as well, though he'd hardly paid any heed to that. "Uh huh," he nodded.

"It is the Brand of the Undead. It is rare for dragons to be born Undead as she has been, but that is not to say that it never happens."

Nod.

"That same brand was on the forehead of the dark dragon I asked you to fight."

Nod. This time, slowly.

"Would you care to tell me how the battle with the dragon went down? For real, this time?"

Spyro bolted away as fast as he could.

* * *

He knew he shouldn't have run away. It was no use to run. Running would only delay the inevitable punishment that Spyro would receive. But he'd panicked, and so he fled.

He had fled like a coward.

It was too easy to describe him as a coward. That would be the word Eon would use to describe Spyro in his Story Scroll. "The diminutive purple dragon Spyro was the biggest coward there ever was. Too afraid to kill someone to save the world. Too afraid to tell the truth about his blunder. Too afraid to face the music once judgement rained down on him." Yup, that was Spyro alright. That was how generations of Skylanders would remember him.

Great.

Spyro flew for the longest time, passing islands on his left and right. The sky turned red and orange, indicating that night was approaching. He'd have to stop flying for now, and wait until morning. The Swamplands were just beneath him, and he swooped down inside of them. Tall trees, plants and vines blocked his way, and the mud squished underneath his feet. It made no sense as to who would prefer to live in this area. Spyro needed to find an actual shelter, or build one himself.

He continued walking, hovering slightly as to avoid disturbing the creatures in snake holes and badger dens. A hill came up, and on it were a few alabaster stones- far different from the dulled gray ones that were found in the water. These must've been carried here in order to build something. Spyro flew up the hill, keeping track of the alabaster stones. As he continued onward, the stones came up closer and closer together, until eventually a staircase could be seen. And even farther up still, Spyro came across an amazing sight.

A grand temple was seen here. He was just at the threshold, but the temple grew higher than he'd ever think would be here. Vines covered the building, fronds and saplings growing from the cracks, threatening to completely break the ground apart. This stone was the same kind of alabaster, yellowed by the ages- if such a thing could happen.

Spyro walked onward, observing the stone. Things were carved into it- strange symbols he had never seen before, but also pictures of dragons. He walked inside, heading down a long hallway. The dragon scrawls were seen here as well, depicting a kind of story as the subjects moved along the walls, fighting each other, with one dragon eventually reaching to and sitting upon a large throne. Once he passed that point, the images went backward, as if the subjects farther down the hall had not yet participated in that ancient battle.

He emerged into a larger room. The room was circular, drawing of dragons once again scrawled on the walls. Shelves swept most of the room, probably to serve as nests. Looking up, a giant hole could be found in the ceiling- while hints of vines could be seen, they hadn't yet reached down in here. This whole room seemed to have been designed as a rookery, where eggs might be kept warm and protected before they hatched.

Spyro suddenly realized the kind of ruins he had stumbled on. This was an old Dragon Temple, a place where dragons were protected and raised by Guardians until they were old enough to live on their own. He had heard of Dragon Temples, but he'd never really been sure as to why the mothers couldn't raise the dragons on their own- he hadn't yet seen a functioning Temple. And he never had grown up in one.

The stars came out. While there was still so much more of the temple to explore, Spyro curled up against a wall to try and sleep. His head was filled with too many thoughts, and sleep was hard to come by. And once it did, it wasn't exactly a peaceful slumber. The nightmares came, showing Spyro the horrid creatures destroying eggs. They did as they normally would- throw eggs against the wall, tearing down stone, a few of the creatures attacking each other. Tonight, however, Spyro saw something on one of the walls. It looked like a dragon scrawl, maybe one in the rookery. And tonight as well, he caught sight of one of the ape creatures stealing eggs, hiding them away for himself. The eggs had been blue, purple and black, carefully concealed in a bag he had.

Spyro jumped awake. He stood up, looking around the rookery. The room looked the same as the one from the nightmare. What had happened here to put this Temple into ruin? What was even more frightening was that he had _been_ here before! As an egg! And so had the dragoness he had saved.

"Spyro!" a voice shouted from the hall- Eon's voice. He had tracked Spyro here! Spyro looked up at the hole in the ceiling, thinking that he could make a quick getaway if he had to. He stood his ground, nonetheless, aware that running was futile. Spyro sat and waited, listening to the incoming footsteps, and looking at the hallway as the old Portal Master came in.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble," Spyro muttered, looking at the ground.

"What trouble? Just the fact that I had to stretch out the gaze of my Portal in order to find you once the rest of the Skylanders had no clue as to where you are? Then subsequently trudging into this jungle once I finally saw you?" Eon said with seething sarcasm. "No, it wasn't any trouble at all."

No comment.

"What happened during that battle? I wanted the truth, and you never gave it to me- even after you said you'd talk to me if you had a problem."

"You wouldn't have liked it if I told the truth about that battle. Yes, I was too scared and I didn't know what to say."

"Tell me now, then."

Eon hated him for sure. He must have. Spyro suppressed tears as he spoke, explaining, "The dragon singed my wings before I had a chance to get into the air. Most of the battle was spent with me ducking into houses before it could touch me, and me trying to send fireballs at it. And when I finally cornered the dragon, I just…I couldn't do it. There was something inside, something that I thought I could save. I know you gave me the order, but I just couldn't do it."

"So instead you lie to me about a grave matter concerning the fate of the world?" Eon replied gruffly.

"I know that's not what you want to hear. But that's the truth. That's all you care about, isn't it?"

Eon knelt down to hug him. Spyro leaned in, the floodgates having been opened. Would things really have been better if he'd simply told the truth in the beginning? It didn't sound right. Eon would have been mad at him much sooner, and Spyro would have no chance against that.

"I never wanted to send you out there," Eon explained. "Something had to be done in order to protect Skylands. I never wanted to ask you to destroy the dragon, but I didn't know how else to save the world. And when you came back confirming that the dragon had been destroyed, hardly looking upset over that like any other Skylander would, I thought I had destroyed you as a hero."

"You really thought that?" Spyro pouted. "You never explained that you were worried about me because of _that._ "

"It's not easy to explain. Spyro, darkness can enter your heart at any time, and something as serious as that battle can be a gateway to much more dangerous things. First it's your indifference to killing, and then what? Pillaging the towns you used to protect? Enslaving the people you used to save? Becoming worse than the thing I asked you to destroy? I was scared that the battle had changed you for the worse, and that it had been my fault."

"I'm okay, though. I don't think like that."

"I know. And I'm glad that you didn't destroy the dragon, actually. If what you said is accurate, it means that you saw another option that I did not. You saw _light_ where I did not. That dragoness has a new chance because of you. Why don't we help her see it through?"

Spyro nodded. "I want to go home," he concluded.

Eon released him. "Then let's go," he agreed.

They walked on, away from the rookery and back down the hallway. Spyro looked at the dragon scrawls once more. The images from his nightmare came back- he wasn't necessarily afraid, but he still wasn't sure what to make of this.

"Hey, Master," Spyro added, "it feels like I've been here before. I'm not sure you would know anything about that-"

"Lost memories can be a tricky thing to find," Eon explained. "No, I don't know if you've been here before. But your heart can be trusted, so those memories must be there as well."

"And not just me, but the dragoness as well."

"We can see if she remembers anything, too. A new chance has been granted- we should use it to full extent."

 **Yay, I learned how to add line breakers! I added some to the previous chapter in case reading it confused anyone.**


	13. Fiesta: Defiance

**Probably one more chapter after this until I post a chapter that was requested from me. I've finally written one in a way that I can be happy with.**

 **This chapter had been intended to conclude October requests, sometime before or after Day of the Dead. Can't have everything, huh?**

 **Disclaimer: I have not played Skylanders Swap Force for the 3ds, so some of the information in this chapter might not be accurate.**

Chapter Thirteen: Defiance

"Let's go over this again," Fiesta told his bandmates. "And this time, with feeling."

In the late hours of the night, Fiesta had been practicing with the members of his mariachi band. While he himself was a skeletal man, his bandmates were diminutive blue ghouls. This often shocked people when they went around the Underworld performing. They didn't mind it. Fiesta counted the ghouls as his family- his hermanos, perhaps. Even if their audience simply thought of them as "Amigos."

The spanish guitar was strummed. The cymbals clanked. The trumpet blared. Each tune moved in sync with one another. Fiesta himself played the horn, which had always been the leading instrument of the band.

The door of their flat opened, and a skeleton man wearing flashy clothing and a small moustache walked in. This was Count Moneybone, the band's benefactor, and richest man in the Underworld. He'd granted Fiesta and his bandmates a flat in his citadel, after having bought them out to play for him. Their performances were now mostly secluded to the citadel, though on their days off, they could play to other audiences. (As well as try to find a drag race to enter, though the likelihood of finding that time was minimal.)

"Ay, sorry senor!" Fiesta gasped, halting their practice. "We're not disturbing you, are we?"

"No, not at all," Moneybone insisted. "I was coming up to listen, actually."

Fiesta nodded in understanding. "So you must've heard some of our work, right?"

"That's right."

"Is it any good?"

"It's marvelous. But you know, it could always use a little more...cowbell."

Fiesta looked on with a blank expression on his face.

"Kidding! It's fine as it is. You know, I don't think I've heard that tune before."

"It's a new song I decided we should try and play. Waiting for the right opportunity to show it off."

"Well your band might just get that opportunity. I'm holding a large ball next week. Should bring an influx of new arrivals to the citadel."

Fiesta's eyes widened. An influx? How big was he thinking it was? "What happened to them all?" he asked.

"Nothing all too serious. It looks more like a simple curse than a mass genocide of a population. Stop being so serious, Fiesta."

No comment.

"Anyway, we're expecting shock, suspense, tears and sorrow. What better way to lift their spirits than with the serenade of your music?"

No comment.

" _Hellooo?_ Anyone home?"

"Ay! Sorry! Yes, music probably would make them feel better. I'll have my calendar marked for that event."

Moneybone clapped his hands together. "Splendid!" he cheered. "Then I think it is in your best interest to get some sleep tonight. I don't want you and your band to work yourselves to exhaustion before the big event."

"But it's not until next week," Fiesta reminded him.

"No reason to keep from being well-rested, still. See you in the morning, Fiesta."

Moneybone shut the door behind him as he left. Fiesta's bandmates surrounded him, trying to ease his mind. Though he appreciated that, their efforts were futile. His mind was too troubled by the thought of millions of new arrivals coming to the Underworld. What had happened? Why were they coming here? That in mind, Fiesta doubted that he'd get any real sleep tonight.

* * *

A ghost girl looked up at Fiesta, green eyes filled with sorrow. "So I'm...dead?" she whimpered.

"Well, Undead is the most appropriate term," Fiesta explained. "Technically not dead, but also not...alive."

The girl's eyes welled up with tears. Clearly that didn't make her feel better. Why would it? Facts don't make people feel better.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I fell into a well," the girl explained. "No...I was pushed! My older sister pushed me in! There was water up to my neck, and she knows I can't swim, and..."

Fiesta wrapped the girl up in a hug. "Oh my, I'm so sorry," he sighed.

They stayed like that for a while. Fiesta allowed her to cry as much as she needed. These kinds of confrontations always made his heart ache. Sometimes all he could do was offer them a shoulder to cry on.

"What am I going to do?" the girl sobbed.

"Do you know of any family that might be down here?" Fiesta suggested.

"I had a grandmother who died a few years ago."

"Start with that. Do you need help finding her?"

The girl gently pulled herself away from him. "Thanks, but I think this is something I should do on my own," she decided.

"Okay, then."

"Thank you for coming to see me. I won't forget this."

"Don't mention it."

Fiesta watched her walk off. She seemed brave, determined to head out into the Underworld on her own. This part of the confrontation made him feel good. There were some times when all a person needed was a shoulder to cry on.

He and his bandmates had come to an entrance of the Underworld, a place where spirits manifested or cursed beings penetrated. They were often scared and confused, unsure of where to start their lives in the Underworld. Fiesta always wanted to make sure they were okay, so on their days off, they played music for the new arrivals. Of course, music isn't the cure-all for a broken heart, so after their little session, Fiesta would listen to the woes of the arrivals, see how else he could help them. It was tough on his soul- all he could do was feel sorry for them- but he had taken it upon himself to see them safely to the Underworld.

On this day, there were still concerns lingering on his mind from the previous night. Mainly, the idea of the influx of new arrivals coming here. When were they coming? Would they be brave enough to tell him what happened to them? Fiesta wanted to make sure they were okay. It made him sick to think of the dangers happening on the surface.

Three more arrivals came to the entrance. One was a blue Mermasquid with a fancy pirate hat, another was a furnace knight billowing with orange fire, and the last was a vampire wearing boxing gloves. Fiesta and his bandmates played for them, giving them the same kind of session they gave all other arrivals. When they were done, he could see the baffled expressions on all but the Mermasquid, who silently applauded them with a smile.

"Ahem, welcome to the Underworld!" Fiesta greeted them. "You must be visiting, since none of you seem cursed in any way. How may I help you?"

"You're probably confused with the term 'cursed'," the vampire spat. "I'm cursed to be on a mission with two buffoons."

"Hey!" the Mermasquid objected.

"And a hearty welcome back to you, senor vampire," Fiesta continued. "Mission, you say? Si si, so you must be Skylanders! Something important must have happened to bring you here, no?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where Count Moneybone's residence would be, would you?" the furnace knight asked. "We can probably find it on our own, but a refresher would be nice in case we're mistaken."

Fiesta nodded. "It's farther down the road to your right," he explained. "May I ask what you three need the Count for?"

"We're heading to stop Count Moneybone's diabolical plot to take over Skylands," the Mermasquid elaborated.

Fiesta's expression was blank.

"You know, attack the surface with his robot army?"

No comment.

"Use the Immortalizer Ray to turn the rest of Skyland's citizens Undead without resorting to curses?"

No comment.

"Kidnapped a girl who's way too good for him to be his bride?"

No comment.

"I told you they wouldn't understand, Wash Buckler," the vampire insisted. "Nobles will do anything to stay positive in the public eye- even if it means lying and cheating in order to keep up appearances."

"What are you talking about?" Fiesta asked.

"Count Moneybone is a heinous monster," the furnace knight persisted. "He's just another rich mastermind who wants to take over Skylands and remake it in his image. He's put several islands under martial law as he kidnaps innocent civilians and turns them Undead with his foul machines. He'd do whatever it takes to make sure he's on top."

"That makes no sense. Count Moneybone always told us that he was trying to assist the islands on the surface. Use some if his wealth to chip in to their reconstruction funds. To create equality amongst mortals and ghouls."

"Hasn't he ever said or done anything suspicious? Anything that seems the opposite of what he intended to do?"

Fiesta had a lightbulb flash on in his head. Moneybone had told him of the influx of new arrivals coming, the ones he was preparing the banquet for. What if it wasn't genocide or a curse that was bringing them here, but an enslavement plan? Turn the population Undead and welcome them all down here as equals. That could be something that could happen.

"They're not going to understand," the vampire argued.

"Maybe," the Mermasquid, who had been dubbed Wash Buckler, decided. "They might not understand now, and they probably won't understand even after we take him down. But this is something that needs to happen. Let's go, dudes."

They departed from Fiesta's band. The furnace knight handed him a gold coin, insisting it was "for his troubles." Fiesta watched them go. Maybe there was some truth to their words.

* * *

"Senor Moneybone, may I have a word with you for a moment?" Fiesta asked.

He'd walked down to the lower levels of the citadel, which held Moneybone's workshop. Fiesta had never dwelled on the workshop's existence before- maybe counts got bored having more money than they knew what to do with- but now he was terrified to know that it was here. Perhaps a robot army had been here, under his nose, and he'd never noticed it.

Moneybone was found down here, welding something together. It was a robot arm. Fiesta looked behind him, noticing a whole system of robots there.

"Fiesta, so nice to see you, as always!" Moneybone said, looking up from his work. "What do you think of my newest inventions?"

Fiesta felt faint. "They're...big...," he stammered.

"Oh you better sit down, you're not looking too good!"

Moneybone pulled out a chair and put it next to Fiesta. Fiesta found himself collapsing into it, his legs too wobbly with shock to keep standing. He stared at the massive robots, his jaw agape.

"Look at you, Fiesta! You can hardly stand!" Moneybone gasped. "I thought I told you to stay well rested before your performance in a few days."

"I've...been feeling a little under the weather," Fiesta fibbed.

"Well that's a shame. All the more reason for you to get some rest. Why did you come down here anyway?"

"What are you going to use these robots for?"

"They're worker-bots, built to fix roads and houses."

"They're almost big enough to take over Skylands."- Fiesta added this with a sheepish laugh.

Moneybone looked at him suspiciously. "Where does that idea come from?" he asked.

"I heard it from some of the new arrivals," Fiesta explained. "They somehow got this crazy idea that you're trying to take over Skylands with a robot army, bent on turning the civilians on the surface Undead."

"And you believe them?"

In the event that Moneybone really _was_ a fraud, Fiesta wasn't about to tell him that the Skylanders were coming. "Well, they know more about what's happening on the surface than I do," he mumbled.

"Fiesta, you have to understand," Moneybone persisted, "these people are threatened by my awesomeness. Of course they'll have 'claims' that I'm doing awful things. Anything to try and besmirch my good name. You know me. Have I ever done anything to steer you wrong? To steer anyone wrong?"

"...I guess not."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

Fiesta nodded. He slowly got up from the chair, walking back upstairs. He looked back, seeing that Moneybone had gone back to work. Those words hadn't made him feel better. If anything, Fiesta was almost certain that the count was up to something.

* * *

The thought terrified him. How could Count Moneybone be evil? He had always seemed so nice in the past. And he always insisted that he was trying to help people. Fiesta had heard that the most terrible evils hid behind a mask- Moneybone could've woven the best mask in the universe. With this thought in mind, Fiesta felt like kicking himself, at the point of actually hating himself for being so foolish. What could be done now, though, as the fool had already been made?

Fiesta had locked himself away in his flat for a nap. Sleep might clear his head, he figured, and help him figure things out, so he settled down to try and get some. He'd managed to fall into a nice doze when something pushed his side. The pushing didn't stop, so Fiesta opened his eyes and rolled over to see what it was. The pushing, it turned out, had been caused by the guitarist, his eyes looking at him frantically.

"What is it?" Fiesta yawned.

The guitarist pointed to the window, where the two other band members were sitting. They directed him to look outside as well. Fiesta did- and his heart fell into the pit of his stomach.

The robots stood at the entrance of the citadel, seemingly guarding it. Their shadows loomed over the ground, stretching for miles upon miles of land. A dot was hidden among the shadows- was it the Skylanders? What had taken them so long to get here, especially since Fiesta had given them directions to the citadel? Had they just been strategizing for their important battle? There was no way they could take on a whole robot army, at that size and magnitude, all by themselves.

Enough was enough. Fiesta slammed his hat on his head, grabbing his horn. The Amigos placed themselves on Fiesta, two riding on the brim of his hat, and one piggybacking on his shoulders. Together, they marched out of the flat, sneaking through the citadel, stepping through the entrance and outside. They slipped past the feet of the robots, moving so they were standing directly in front of them. The band was dwarfed in the shadow of the robots.

Though Fiesta was adamant in what he wanted to do, he was nonetheless scared.

Moneybone was bound to chase him down for this.

That didn't matter.

The Skylanders might not realize who had distracted the robots.

That also didn't matter.

The Amigos hopped onto the ground, trembling as they did so. "Hey, it's going to be okay," Fiesta convinced them. "Remember that song we've been practicing? Let's give them the whole performance!"

The spanish guitar was strummed. The cymbals clanked. The trumpet blared. Fiesta himself was on the horn, playing as loud as possible, leading the band. They marched in sync, each tune playing in perfect symphony. The song didn't seem to please the robots, who were angered by the interference. Fiesta and the band were soon chased, leading the robots away from the citadel entrance.

This made way for the Skylanders to enter the citadel, unopposed by the giant mechanized beasts. For a long time, they would have no idea who had helped them out.

The time for diversion was over. Fiesta scooped up the Amigos in his arms, hurrying away from the robots. Lumbering feet attempted to squish them, trying to catch the band on the ground. The band swerved around the citadel, the robots fast approaching them. They couldn't possibly outrun them.

The trumpet player pointed to their left, directing them to a large shed. This was where Moneybone had his fancy collection of cars. (None of which had ever touched dirt or pavement in years- he just liked to have them around.) Of course! They can out _drive_ the robots!

Fiesta ducked into the shed, heading to the very back. They'd made some distance, but the robots were still coming. At this rate, they were going to block them inside. Hopefully it wouldn't matter. Fiesta found the car he was looking for, hidden under a tarp. He pulled it off, revealing a car with a large wheel in the back, designed for drag racing- the Crypt Crusher! Oh, but it's been in the shed for such a long time- did it still work?

One of the robots had wised up and was reaching inside of the shed, trying to drag them out. No time to debate the issue. Fiesta put the Amigos inside the car before hopping in himself. He turned on the car, revving up the engine, preparing to blaze out of there. The robot's arm was long enough to reach to the very back where the band was located. The Crypt Crusher, having been warmed up, managed to speed out of the shed, missing the hand by a thin hair. They sped past the legs of the robots, all of them trying to turn around fast enough to try and grab them.

"I think we found the one flaw in the robot's design!" Fiesta shouted, looking behind to see the robots.

They sped away from the robots, fast enough to make it away from the citadel as well. The Crypt Crusher drove down the path that the Skylanders had come from. Fiesta had a destination in mind, and they weren't stopping until they got there. Well, maybe they would stop for a minute, depending on how much gas they had.

The cymbal player pointed in the direction of the citadel.

"We're not going back there," Fiesta insisted. "We can't. I can just imagine the look on Senor Moneybone's face the minute he figures out what we did."

The cymbal player nodded in agreement. Then he touched the side of the car, looking at the other members honestly.

"We're not drag racing, either. Well, not unless we find a race to enter, of course."

The Amigos looked at him, confusion setting in.

"The one thing I want to do is help people. There's very little I can do down here, and very little about what we know happening on the surface. So that's where we're going- the surface."

The Amigos cheered with joy.


	14. Spitfire: Rain

Chapter Fourteen: Rain

"C'mon, Spitfire! Don't you want to go out and train today?" Stormblade asked.

"Things changed," Spitfire explained. "We planned on training outside today. Well now it's raining outside. So I'm no longer going out."

"Why do you always blow off plans the moment the weather turns bad?"

She knew the reason why. Spitfire shouldn't have had to spell it out for her. He hated the rain. It splattered on the ground, covering everything within a hundred mile radius. Flames were doused by water, and who knows how long Spitfire would be able to stay out there when it rained. Suppose his eternal flame died out? Did the Skylanders really expect him to go outside and train with the possibility of death on his mind? He thought he deserved much better than that. Who wants to have "Drowned in six inches of rain" written on their tombstone?

It was decided- Stormblade would train outside in the rain, while Spitfire would stay inside the Academy where it was warm and dry. He went to the library, which sounded like a better place to spend the day. As the case was, there were several Skylanders already hanging out there, as well as a few refugees who hadn't yet found a new home.

He found Splat and Fiesta sitting at a small coffee table, playing a few rounds of Skystones. Splat had bested Fiesta yet again, gloating right in front of the skeletal man. Fiesta simply looked at Spitfire, shrugging. He recognized that body language- Fiesta had been letting her win. As good at Skystones as he was, he was no stranger to letting other players win.

"Hope I didn't miss anything _too_ exciting," Spitfire commented once he saw them.

"Don't worry about it," Fiesta replied. "We can let you play if you wanted to."

"Tired of losing, are we?" Splat asked, eyebrow raised.

Spitfire laid himself out on the couch behind them. "I don't know," he admitted. "I don't think I'm in the mood."

"Aw. What's the matter?" Spat persisted.

"I blew off Stormblade for training today, and now I feel really bad about it."

"That's right, you guys _were_ going to do that today," Fiesta realized. "Why did you change your mind?"

"Take a guess."

They both nodded. Everyone knew that he didn't like the rain. Most people just left him be on the subject- there was no convincing him otherwise. There were some, however, that wanted to know more about his distaste for rain. Spitfire let them be, despite how little he thought of the questions. Why did there have to be more to it?

"Do you _have_ to cancel your plans every time it rains?" Splat asked.

She was one of the people who asked questions.

"Yes," Spitfire sighed. "Look at me. Do you really think I should go out there right now?"

"Alright, fine. But you two couldn't have decided to train inside? The Academy has an indoor training facility, after all."

"She wouldn't go for it. Stormblade didn't want to train whilst being cooked up at the Academy any longer, especially since the Sky Eater's been destroyed. Fresh air, and all that."

"Give him a break, Splat," Fiesta insisted. "Everyone has something in this world that they dislike. I know you don't like the rain, either."

Splat stood up abruptly. "Sure, but I'm not about to cancel my plans because of a little rain," she argued. "There are worse things in life to dislike than rain."

"Like drowning," Spitfire agreed sadly.

Splat looked at him, eyes widened. "Is that your biggest fear?" she asked.

Nod.

"Well I think you'll be fine out there. It's not like the Academy has any large pools for you to fall in."

"You replied to that kind of quickly. I thought there would've been a little bit of silence."

"You can't get over a problem without bringing it out into the open. Why beat around the bush?"

A low rumbling sound was heard outside. The weather must've been getting worse out there. No way were they going to let Stormblade stay out there any longer. The three of them left the library, heading to the entrance of the Academy. Splat and Fiesta were the first ones out, immediately beginning their search. Spitfire would join them- in a moment. The wind looked really strong, blowing the droplets askew from their previous destination.

 _Nothing to it,_ Spitfire told himself. _Just...don't think about it. Jump right in there._

Spitfire rushed out of the building. The rain hit him hard, dripping down his body. He was immediately wet, his eternal flame burning fiercely in order to compensate. This wasn't some measly rain. They were in the middle of a storm. And Spitfire knew that wasn't just his nerves talking.

"Stormblade!" he called out. "We need to head inside! The rain is-"

A bolt of lightning struck the roof of the Academy, making Spitfire jump. He remembered that there was a lightning rod up there. That was good. No need to worry about anyone else getting hurt. But where was Stormblade?

Spitfire searched around the racetrack. Maybe she decided to take the Sky Slicer out for a spin? To see what Skylands now looked like since the Skylanders' previous battle against evil. It didn't occur to him that Stormblade might want to go back to her old life after the crisis had been averted. He hadn't thought of anything else since joining the Skylanders.

He let out a sigh of relief. Stormblade was still on the track, standing right next to her beloved air vehicle. She was searching through the cockpit, frantically looking for something. Spitfire ran toward her, pulling her away. He was surprised when Stormblade shoved him, fighting back.

"I left something important in the cockpit earlier," Stormblade said. "I don't know where it is, but-"

"I think your safety concerns me more," Spitfire argued. "We need to head back inside."

"I know! But I left a book in there- a large book with a brown hard cover. It's the most important thing I own. If I don't save anything else in here, I need to save that."

Spitfire looked back at the Academy. How fast could he move? Could he make it there with an item intact, should he choose to carry it?

"Just head back inside," Spitfire begged her. "I promise, it'll be okay. Call Splat and Fiesta over when you make it to the front steps- they're looking for you, too."

Stormblade nodded, running away from the Sky Slicer and heading back to the Academy. Spitfire rummaged through the cockpit, searching for the kind of book that she had described. There was certainly a lot of junk in here- no wonder Stormblade had lost it. Eventually he happened upon it- the brown hard cover book. He hugged it to his chest, promising not to let go.

Another bolt of lightning struck the roof. Spitfire closed the cockpit. The Academy entrance in sight, he fired up the flames in his wings and shot forward. The rain whipped at his face, stinging his eyes. Crossing the yard, he quickly made it back to the Academy entrance. The others had already gotten back in, much to his relief. Fiesta had grabbed the girls some towels, neglecting his own soaked clothes. They looked terrible, but at least they were okay.

"You made it back in!" Stormblade cheered. "Did you go after my book? You didn't have-"

"I told you everything would be okay," Spitfire insisted, about to hand it to her. He stopped just as he did so.

His eternal flame had burned too strong. The pages were intact, at least, but the cover was broiled black. Spitfire had been worried about water damage. He'd never dreamed that this would happen.

Stormblade took the book from him. She thumbed through the pages, inspecting the damage. One of the corners of the cover chipped off in her hands.

"The pages are okay, but the cover...," Stormblade gasped in horror. "I don't know what to do about it."

"At least the pages are okay," Fiesta said meekly.

Splat smacked him on the back of the head.

Stormblade glared at Spitfire. "I know you didn't mean to do it," she said, "but I can't forgive you for what you've done here."

Spitfire didn't disagree with her. He didn't even ask the details- would she never forgive him for ruining the book, or flippantly leaving her outside to train on her own? It didn't matter. Spitfire was mad at himself as well. He knew that not even _he_ could forgive himself. He hadn't been a friend these people could count on, that was for certain. It was a wonder why they'd relied on him for so long.

* * *

The night dragged on. The four of them were gawked at by half of the students and faculty at the school. They must've been crazy for thinking to head outside in that storm. What had they been thinking?

Spitfire had been asked questions by dozens of other Skylanders- didn't he hate the rain? He ignored them all, heading straight up to his dorm. He locked the door behind him, and simply flopped on his bed sobbing. What a horrible thing he'd done. Spitfire should've ignored the rain earlier and just gone out training with Stormblade, making sure she got her book before the storm got too bad. Either that, or he could've just tried harder to convince her to train indoors.

Now she hated him.

Not that he blamed her.

He hated himself even more.

Well, whether or not Stormblade had been planning on moving on from the Skylanders and back into her old life, then Spitfire should do the same. Start back up tomorrow, he figured. The Skylands Racing Circuit ought to be opening up once more. He had to make sure he got into the qualifiers. Racing was still important to him, and it was the only place where he could be a jerk and nobody would care since he'd be famous.

What a selfish thought.

But what else could he do?

He turned on his side and fell asleep, these thoughts in his head.

 _The wind whipped past his face, forcing the flames of his wings to flicker behind him. The flames of the Hot Streak were burning just as fiercely, fighting against that terrible breeze. Rocks flew past as he drove, pulled into the gravity of a giant rift. Those things had been opening up all over Skylands in recent weeks, destroying different islands and anyone who got sucked inside. This wasn't a safe place to stay._

 _Spitfire drove on, leaping onto different rocks in order to get away. He found that he was faster than the rift, making several feet away from it. He trusted the Hot Streak's capabilities, and felt no danger to himself here. In fact, riding away from the rifts was kind of fun! After being cooped up in bed for three weeks, this was the perfect way to start driving again!_

 _But that didn't mean that he was entirely worry-free. There was another driver out here- well, a pilot, to be more specific. A silvery-grey airship sliced through the clouds, also putting distance between it and the rift. Spitfire was scared for the pilot, though he could tell they were doing just fine. He had no way of knowing the capabilities of this vehicle. Suppose it really_ was _unfit to outrun a rift such as this?_

 _Eventually the rift closed, having taken its fill. Both vehicles stopped at a small island with a few refugees huddled on it. Spitfire didn't need to guess what happened to their home- but had everyone made it out okay?_

 _He climbed out of the Hot Streak just as the pilot climbed out of their airship. The pilot turned out to be a girl. A purple-feathered lark, she wore something that looked like a jumpsuit. Her grey eyes showed no fear or hopelessness, perhaps showing that she had been looking for excitement as well._

 _"Hi," Spitfire greeted her._

 _The lark turned to look at him. "Hi-hi me?" she stammered._

 _"You must be crazy, trying to outrun that rift."_

 _"Well, I guess to some, it might be-"_

 _"Looks like we're just a couple of loons."_

 _The lark smiled after hearing that._

 _"My name's Spitfire."_

 _"I'm Stormblade."_

 _"That's an impressive vehicle you have there."_

 _Stormblade leaned against her aircraft. "Oh, this old thing?" she sighed. "This is the Sky Slicer- though not intentionally fit for combat, I built it in order to explore Skylands. Actually, that's why I was flying near that rift- to gather some data. As you can imagine, dangerous rifts that destroy floating islands can do some pretty bad damage to my research."_

 _Spitfire was astonished. "You built this?" he gasped._

 _"I guess I did. Hey, is that your car over there? The red one with the flaming tires?"_

 _They looked at the Hot Streak. The flames still flickered on the wheels, breathing a kind of life with them. He'd always noticed that the car seemed more alive than any other vehicle on the racing circuit._

 _"Yeah, she's mine," Spitfire told Stormblade. "Though the Hot Streak's origins aren't as special as your vehicle's. I found her in the Volcanic Vault, near the place where I was born. Completely abandoned...feeling kind of lonely."_

 _"Lonely?" Stormblade asked._

 _"The Hot Streak was built down there, that's for certain. Our elemental flames came from the same birthplace, so I can sense life in her. Sounds kind of weird when I say it to someone else."_

 _"Well Skylands is a weird place."_

A knock on the door roused Spitfire from sleep. He was going to get up in order to answer it...only to find that he couldn't. There was no energy to spare for that action. Spitfire glanced down at his body. The flames burned dimly, appearing as dark red embers. A white glint was seen at the center of his chest.

That was his eternal flame.

It had burned out sometime in the night.

Spitfire was sick.

He couldn't move. He couldn't create a single flame. He didn't even have the strength to call for help. The most he could do was look and listen.

"Hello, Spitfire?" Splat's voice called out from behind the door. "Are you going to answer us?"

"Please tell me that he's in there," Stormblade's voice begged her. "I really need to speak with him."

"C'mon Storm, he's got to be in there. The door wouldn't be locked if he wasn't."

"Maybe he climbed out the window earlier this morning," Fiesta's voice suggested.

Giggling from Splat ensued. Spitfire was baffled by their words. _Earlier_ this morning? What did _that_ mean? The room was still plenty dark. He'd just assumed that he'd woken up in the night.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Stormblade asked.

"Just leave him be," Splat insisted. "If he doesn't want to come out and talk with us, then that's that. We can talk to him later."

"That idea scares me," Fiesta argued. "Maybe there's something bigger about this that we're not seeing. What if he's sick? Too sick to open the door? Or he _did_ climb out of his window? I can't stand not being able to help him, in that case."

"Fi, sometimes you have to respect someone's privacy. If Spitfire doesn't want to talk to us right now, that's his wish."

"I don't care. Wait here. I'm getting Buzz. I know he has the master key to all our dorms."

Spitfire sighed somberly. Fiesta was so kind to all of them. He hated the thought of putting the skeletal man through such a hassle, especially since he'd never done anything to return that kindness. How come Spitfire had never thought to repay his friends for anything they've done for him?

He went through a coughing fit. His eternal flame burned orange for a second, before dissipating back to white. The only thing he could do right now is wait for Fiesta to come through on his plan. Spitfire closed his eyes, trying to fall back asleep, only to find that sleep was hard to come by. His head suddenly hurt, and whenever that happened for him, he became nauseous. What a horrible spot he had been placed in.

A clicking sound was heard, meaning that the door was being unlocked. It was pushed open, and Spitfire could see his friends slowly walking in. They were led by the Mabu known as Buzz, who was the headmaster of the Academy.

"While I'm glad that you're concerned for your friend, Fiesta," Buzz said as they walked forward, "I'm pretty sure Spitfire is fine. Remember all of that chaos from last night? He probably wants to hide in case any more people- holy guacamole!"

They all looked upon Spitfire, their faces aghast with horror. Of course none of them had ever seen him like this. It was rare for Spitfire to even show a single symptom of illness. Buzz remained calm throughout, looking over Spitfire's body, while the three Superchargers stood idly by without a clue on how to help.

"You're telling me he really _is_ sick?" Splat gasped. "My gosh, Fiesta!"

"Hey, it never hurts to check," Fiesta insisted. "Especially right now."

"Buzz, what's wrong with him?" Stormblade asked.

Buzz looked back at her, explaining, "Well I'd say Fiesta's naivety is-"

"Not Fiesta! Spitfire!"

"I know, I know,"- Buzz cleared his throat before continuing- "The good news is, Spitfire is not going to die. The bad news is that he's going to be out of commission for a while."

"What is it?"

"See that glint in his chest? That's his eternal flame. It's the life force of all Fire Elementals, allowing them to control their flames. That's why they don't burn you when giving out a handshake. Oh, sometimes the eternal flame will burn out to a little ember if pushed through an intense state, making them susceptible to illness. I'd say Spitfire may have pneumonia or something of the like. Hey Spitfire, how do you feel?"

Spitfire could only blink.

"Yeah, has to be pneumonia. He wouldn't look as bad if it were anything else."

"What can we do?" Splat asked.

Buzz slowly walked back toward the door. "Luckily, he's in a calm environment, so that will allow his eternal flame to light back up naturally," he concluded. "Once that happens, his sickness will go away. But it could be a while- food and rest is the most he needs right now. Check on him from time to time, and let me know if his condition worsens."

"Would it help if we lit him on fire?" Fiesta asked.

Buzz chuckled. "Only in the most dire of situations," he replied.

"Still don't do it," Splat argued.

Buzz shut the door behind him on his way out, leaving the Superchargers alone. Spitfire could hardly believe it. Pneumonia was more common for Gillmen to contract. Not that...this was the first time he'd ever contracted it himself.

Fiesta leapt onto the bed next to Spitfire. "One blink means yes, two means no," he began.

"What are you doing?" Splat asked.

"Figuring out how to help him communicate. Ahem, Spitfire, do you understand what we're saying?"

Spitfire blinked once.

"Bien, amigo! Okay, do you need us to leave you alone?"

He didn't want to be alone right now. Spitfire thought he might actually die if he was left here by himself. It was such a terrible burden he would be putting on them, but that was his wish. The best he could do was pay them back for this later, and pay them back for every other time they helped him. It needed to be understood that he really did care for them. He didn't know how he would go about doing that yet, but he was determined to do so.

And so, Spitfire blinked twice.

"Okay, that's also good," Fiesta decided.

"Let me try," Splat decided, motioning Fiesta off before taking his place. "Hey Spitfire, do you want anything to eat right now?"

The thought made him feel like vomiting. The nausea was still a problem. Spitfire blinked twice.

"Maybe later?"

Spitfire blinked once.

"We'll get you something in a little while, then." She turned her head around and shouted, "Hey Stormblade!"

Stormblade jumped when called. She hadn't been paying attention to their recent antics, simply staring at Spitfire as if he were a ghost.

"Is there anything you want to ask Spitfire?" Splat asked.

"No...nothing that can be answered so easily," Stormblade sighed.

She seemed upset about something. Spitfire remembered how frantic she sounded when they came up to his dorm the first time. There was something that Stormblade desperately wanted to tell him. It made him sick- well, even more sick. He had no way to help her.

Fiesta took the large hat off his back, setting it over Spitfire's eyes. "Your head must be hurting. Does this feel better?" he asked. Then, quickly realizing the problem in the way he'd asked that question, Fiesta took the hat off. "Sorry. Does it feel better to have the hat over your eyes?"

It did. He wasn't sure if the hat was keeping the surrounding light from penetrating his eyes, or if the pressure balanced it out, (because that hat didn't weigh that much,) it felt better to have. Spitfire blinked once, and the hat was set back.

"You should get some sleep," Splat finally said. "We'll wake you once we get food up here. And don't worry. There will at least be one of us here for you in case you need anything. Stormblade can take first watch."

"A-are you sure?" Stormblade gasped.

"I think he'd like that."

"...Okay, then..."

Spitfire had wished to not be sick. If only to leave, to find some other purpose to his life. He had never been the kind of person his friends could depend on. Maybe that didn't matter after all. What if they truly did decide to separate after this? Head back to their old lives. Spitfire thought that Fiesta might stay with the Skylanders, seeing that the skeletal man had never been happier anywhere else, but there was no reason for the rest of them to stick together. Though Spitfire didn't want to leave them, if they were ready to go, then he would have to accept that.

But there was nothing to do about that now. With no other requests to give them, Spitfire decided to try and sleep.

* * *

There was only one other time that Spitfire had gotten this sick. Once, when he was younger, he had driven through the Swamplands during the rainy season. He'd thought that he could beat the storm before it came upon him, but he was fiercely proven wrong. The storm seemed to have pounced upon him, raining down a fury of cold water on him. Spitfire had feared for his life, thinking that his eternal flame would be put out forever. He managed to find a cave and hide in it until the storm passed, only to find the next day that his eternal flame _had_ gone out. He was stuck in the cave for days until it reignited itself- nobody noticed he was there.

What a stupid kid, thinking he could outrun the elements like that. Had Spitfire grown up at all since then?

He woke to the sound of dripping on the window. Great, it was raining again. Had Stormblade decided to try and train again? Oh jeez, he was in no position to stop her this time. Spitfire slowly opened his eyes, discovering that the flames on his body were now glowing orange. He saw Stormblade sitting on the bed next to him, looking out the window and watching the water drip down.

"...Hey," he gasped, finding the strength to speak.

Stormblade turned toward him, surprised. "Hey," she repeated. "How are you feeling?"

"Crummy, but at least I don't feel like I'm dying."

"I guess that's good. And I guess it was a good idea for me to stay with you- the color started returning to your body while I was here."

"Where are the others?"

"Probably downstairs still. If I know Splat and Fiesta, they've probably been arguing about what to feed you."

Spitfire let out a hoarse chuckle. "So I haven't been asleep long?" he asked.

"An hour at most," Stormblade clarified.

"Why's it so dark in here?"

"The sky's been rather gloomy since last night's storm. Now it's started up again."

"Are you doing okay?"

Stormblade looked away from him. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"When you guys first came to my dorm, I heard you say that you needed to talk to me."

"I do...but if you're not feeling well..."

"I want to hear what you have to say."

She let out a sigh. "I can't help feeling that it's my fault you got sick," she began.

Some people might've blamed her right off the bat- but Spitfire would never dream of that. "It's not your fault," he insisted.

"And how is that?" Stormblade yelled, though it was directed more to herself than him. "I'm the one who decided to train outside that night, despite the conditions. I couldn't have known that the storm was going to get worse, but I didn't decide to come back in when the wind picked up. And I went back out this morning to check on the Sky Slicer- it's fine, and everything inside the cockpit was safe, so I could've just left my book in there. But I panicked and decided to try and save it. And who should come looking for me but you? You, who decided to be a gentleman and retrieve it for me despite hating the rain so much. You were pushing it out there, trying to keep your flames going, and you pushed too hard, resulting in this! How is it not my fault!?"

"It could've been a complete stranger stuck out there instead of you, and I still would've made sure they got back in safe."

"That's not the point. The point is that _I_ was the one you went out to search for. _I_ was there! _I_ was the cause. Therefore, it's _my_ fault!"

"What are you trying to ask from me? Do you _want_ me to blame you for what happened? I'm not blaming you! Usually when people hear that they're not being blamed, they get happy. Why aren't you getting happy?"

Stormblade started crying, and Spitfire's heart ached for her. If anyone was to blame, it was him. He should've tried harder to keep her safe, to keep all of them safe. It was his own inability and selfishness that had caused this. It was his fault he got sick. So now it was Spitfire's job to take responsibility for once in his life.

He straightened up in bed, though he found that this was still an effort. Spitfire gently tugged Stormblade on the arm, making sure she got the message that she could hug him. Stormblade did, and kept crying as she did so. Spitfire felt so sorry for her. He'd never wanted to hurt her like this.

"I'm not blaming you," he repeated. "So I don't want you to blame yourself. Got it? It's not your fault."

"I wanted to apologize for what I said last night," Stormblade whimpered. "That was the purpose I had for coming up here earlier, before we found out that you were sick. You were being a gentleman, trying to keep my book safe. The pages are all fine, and they could easily be transported to another cover. I'm not sure why I said I'd never forgive you for broiling the cover of the book. You were being kind, and I acted completely rude and selfish toward that mistake. That's certainly no way to thank you for everything you've done for us."

"Everything _I've_ done? I've done nothing to repay you guys for anything you've done for me."

Stormblade released him, looking him in the eye. "That's just not true," she insisted. "It was you who started that quest, Spitfire. You were the one who united us. You protected us from incoming attackers when we didn't see any coming. When we argued, you were the one who settled things. When we saw no hope, you encouraged us to keep fighting. You kept us together. And how have I repaid that now? Only with sour words to bitter the air."

He'd never known they felt that way. Spitfire had hardly thought about the things he had done on their quest. Those were normal things for him- protecting people, uniting people, settling quarrels. Spitfire had never thought of that. He'd only ever thought of the things his friends had given him- and they had pretty much given him the same things. Their friendship had made the fight that much easier to go through, but before now, he'd known no other way to pay them back than to try and give them something.

"You guys are so important to me," Spitfire sighed. "Promise me you won't go anywhere."

Stormblade sniffed. "We'd follow you to the ends of the Skylands," she promised.

"Well that's good- it's the place you've always wanted to go."

Stormblade giggled at the remark, and Spitfire was glad that he could ease her heart.

"I'm really sorry about what I said last night," Stormblade concluded. "Forgive me?"

"Don't worry about it," Spitfire insisted.

The door opened. Splat and Fiesta walked in, carrying a large tray covered in soup bowls. Some of the bowls stacked on top of each other, somewhat in the fashion of a plastic cup pyramid.

"Hey guys, I don't think I'll be able to finish all of that," Spitfire remarked.

"We know- we just couldn't settle on one soup you might like, so we brought one of each up here," Fiesta stated absent-mindedly. Quickly realizing who had spoke, he then gasped, "Hey amigo, it sounds like you're feeling better!"

"Heh heh, a little better, thanks."

They took their places on the bed, Splat gently handing everyone a bowl of soup. "So maybe you might be able to go on another mission in a shorter amount of time than we thought," she smiled. "Why don't we try for some place dry, like the Golden Desert? Anything to get away from the dampness we're currently experiencing."

Spitfire shrugged. "Sounds a little too easy," he insisted. "Maybe we can try for some place like the Swamplands instead."

Fiesta looked on, flabbergasted. "But you're terrified of the water," he reminded him.

"I know. But I also know you guys won't let me down. In that way, it's not so scary."

 **I like to think that Spitfire's matured a bit after _Superchargers._ Just my thought.**


	15. Freeze Blade: First Battle

**The first of my overdue requests. This one was from Sundiel. I had an earlier version of this on my device long ago, but I doubt you'll ever see that one. I hated that version so much. This is the version I'm happiest with.**

 **Also, happy holidays.**

Chapter Fifteen: First Battle

"Night Shift, are you sure you want to train the kid this way?" Rubble Rouser asked, hesitation in his voice.

"There's more that I can show him than the rest of you can," Night Shift insisted. "Besides, I'm sure he can handle it."

Freeze Blade hardly paid attention to their banter as he stood in the wooded clearing nearest Woodburrow. He was fired up for this training exercise. This one must've been really difficult and challenging. Why else would they be out here instead of the yard of their base? It was exciting to Freeze Blade- he was ready for anything!

Night Shift directed Freeze Blade's attention to the turrets set up around the clearing. "This exercise will test your speed, endurance, and instincts," he began. "Turrets have been set up around the area that will shoot bean bags at you. While the blue ones are harmless if they hit your sides, should you be hit by a red bean bag, you will have fifteen seconds to retreat to us or the exercise is over. If any kind of bean bag hits you on the face, the back of the head, or the chest area, the exercise will end that way. This is meant to reflect the stakes of an actual battle."

"So if a red one hits me, it's like a wound that I'm bleeding out from?" Freeze Blade asked.

"Yes."

"And getting hit anywhere except the sides is like getting stabbed, right?"

Nod.

"Jeez, what's wrong with you two?" Rubble Rouser wondered. "If a red one hits you, you return to us to 'get medical treatment' so you can head out and continue the exercize. Got all of that?"

Freeze Blade nodded.

Night Shift and Rubble Rouser fell back. Grabbing the controls to the turrets, Rubble Rouser shouted, "Then let the exercise commence."

Freeze Blade got in his fighting stance. "Hey, how fast are these things going to fly anyway?" he suddenly asked.

He ducked his head as a blue bean bag sped toward him.

"These machines came from the tennis court, so about as fast as tennis balls would shoot out from them," Rubble Rouser explained. "Sorry, should've let you know that."

Freeze Blade swerved away from incoming bean bags. Ducked to avoid a red one, swerved from a blue one. He used his ice vision to shoot some of them away. A blue bean bag hit his back- he ignored that one to knock away a red one with his chakram. A red bean bag hit him on the side of his leg- he sped back toward the elder Skylanders before being given clearance to head back out. It was nothing to him.

More ducking and swerving occurred in this time. That was mostly what he did. The exercise ended when Freeze Blade misjudged his next few moves, swerving to avoid a red bean bag and moving in a way that a blue one hit him on the front of his shoulder.

"Naw, it's only a flesh wound," Freeze Blade sighed, disappointed with himself. He knew he could've done better than that. Had he planned it out better, he could've dragged the exercise out until the turrets were empty.

"It hit you nearest the jugular vein," Night Shift explained. "Nothing we can do to save you from that."

"'Jugular'? Man you scare me sometimes," Rubble Rouser grimaced. His calm demeanor returning, he told Freeze Blade. "Don't beat yourself up about it, kid. You went at this for three minutes. That's longer than the two of us made it on our first time through."

"Yeah, but the exercise was fairly new then," Night Shift reminded him. "Spy Rise created it only two months back."

Freeze Blade smirked. "So I got hit in an area that is fatal to get hit in?" he repeated. "In that case- owww, ohhhh the pain, the pain!"

He said this as he slowly knelt to the ground, clutching the shoulder that got hit. Freeze Blade lay on the ground in an exaggerated way, all the while muttering dramatic ramblings as if he had been hurt.

"That's enough of that," Night Shift said, trying his hardest to keep from smiling. "This isn't something to be taken lightly."

Freeze Blade stood back up. "I know, I know. And I promise, any bandits we fight will not get the drop on me," he insisted.

Night Shift's demeanor changed, this time more serious with a hint of worry. "That's not the point of these tests," he explained. "Of course you won't let them get the drop on you. But we need to see how you'll handle yourself out there. It's fine for you to joke around for a small while, but you need to take these things seriously. How are you supposed to learn if we don't beat it into your skull?"

"I get it, you want me to be the best that I can be," Freeze Blade said with his heart plummeting slowly. "You want to make sure I can keep my balance in a real battle. You want to make sure I'm safe."

"Don't say 'I get it'- when you say that, it sounds like you're not listening," Rubble Rouser added. "This is no joke. It might be hard to take this seriously because you haven't been in an actual battle before, but the stakes are much higher than what can be simulated in this exercize. Do you understand?"

Freeze Blade only nodded. How else could he convince them that he was indeed listening to them?

Night Shift let out a sigh. "Don't take this fully to heart," he decided. "We just worry for you. You have proven yourself capable of many things, but it's easy for us to worry until you're as powerful as the rest of us. When the time comes, you'll be ready."

* * *

Freeze Blade believed him. The Skylanders knew what they were talking about. Every one of them said similar words of encouragement. "You'll know what to do when your first battle comes." "You'll be ready when you have to kick Greeble-butt." "You'll be just fine out there." He believed every word they said- at least he tried to.

Everyone else might've been worried about him entering his first battle- but Freeze Blade was certain that he was most worried of all.

It wasn't like his first true battle had been scheduled. The Skylanders didn't plan for which of them should be sent to take care of what situations needed handling. But whenever he thought of it, Freeze Blade felt dread fill the pit of his stomach. What would happen out there? What if he killed a bandit by mistake? What if he hurt one of his allies by mistake? What if one of them hurt him by mistake? The thought had been on the back of his mind, until lectures from his teammates brought it up front.

And it had stayed there since yesterday. Freeze Blade could hardly sleep thinking about it. He had walked back out to their training spot this morning, the thought looming in his mind. Rubble Rouser was waiting for him out here- maybe he should tell him his woes? Freeze Blade knew he could come to the Skylanders at any time. Oh, but how should he say what needed to be said?

"Where's Night Shift?" Freeze Blade asked, which was the opposite of what he wanted to say, but had said in the hopes of starting a conversation.

"He said he wanted to have you fight an actual creature. Get you some practice in fighting things that aren't sparring partners or bean bags," Rubble Rouser explained. "He'll be here in a few minutes, and then we'll start training."

Freeze Blade sat on the ground next to Rubble Rouser. "Were you worried about _your_ first battle?" he asked.

Rubble Rouser touched his chin in contemplation. "I'm not sure," he replied. "I don't think I _was_ worried. If you're referring to my first battle as a Skylander, then no, I wasn't worried."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I suppose my first battle as a Skylander wasn't my _very_ first battle overall. I had fought the deadly Rock Lords at my home, protecting my people. Yeah, that was the first."

"Were you worried?"

"I had no time to worry. It happened so fast."

"Were you scared?"

"Maybe for a second, but I couldn't dwell on that."

No comment.

"Are you worried?"

Nod.

"But I thought you'd already been in conflict. Yeah, you fought those Spell Punks off of Blast Zone's back."

"I don't count that one. He pretty much took them out seconds I came in to help him."

"So your first battle as a Skylander will be your first true conflict?"

Nod.

"Well I promise you this, Freeze Blade; once you get into the thick of battle, you won't be focused on worry or fear. You'll be too caught up in the fighting to even think about it."

"What if I'm bad at fighting?"

"You're not bad at fighting. Trust me, you'll be great."

 _Trust me, you'll be great._ It didn't ease Freeze Blade's mind one bit. He was confident that Rubble Rouser knew what he was talking about. Even so, his words of encouragement sounded the same as everyone else's. He was now convinced that nothing they said would make him feel better about this.

A bush on their right moved slightly. Freeze Blade noticed Rubble Rouser stand up slightly, squinting at the bush. Freeze Blade looked in the same direction, catching a hint of two pointy green things behind a tree trunk.

Rubble Rouser sat back down. "There's a Drow right there," he whispered. "He's watching us."

"A Drow?" Freeze Blade whispered back, sensing the urgency. "Didn't he get the memo? Cloudbreak belongs to nobody. The Drow have no business here."

"I wouldn't know what he wants. Stay here, and be quiet. I'm going to look for Night Shift."

Rubble Rouser stood up and walked through the entrance to Woodburrow. He walked slowly, as if enjoying the summer sun that shone that day- making sure not to alarm their "guest." Freeze Blade looked down at the grass, pretending not to notice the Drow behind the tree. It now seemed glaringly obvious to him that a Drow was in the area. His hand itched to form the ice chakram in his hand, but he resisted that urge- there was no need to antagonize him.

More rustling drew his attention back to the tree. The Drow jumped out, lunging toward him. Freeze Blade jumped up, quickly moving out of the way as the Drow attacked. The chakram was formed, though mainly used to deflect attacks from the enemy. The fight didn't go on too terribly long, as the Drow was hit in the head by a flying hammer. Freeze Blade turned around, seeing Rubble Rouser and Night Shift run onto the scene.

"I swear, I didn't do anything!" Freeze Blade promised. "He attacked _me_!"

Rubble Rouser ran to the unconscious Drow, lifting his head and observing the details of his face. "He's a younger one," he announced. "New to this. Probably panicked and decided he had to do something to keep safe."

"Attacked first, the coward," Night Shift muttered, taking Rubble Rouser's side to observe the Drow. They talked amongst themselves for a few moments, their voices hushed. Freeze Blade stood idly by, trying to listen to them. They stood back up, their faces looking grim.

"What is it?" Freeze Blade wondered.

"That Drow is just a scout," Night Shift said. "There's no heavy armor on him, not even true weapons. I bet there are bigger forces accumulated in the woods."

"And Rubble hit him with a hammer!" Freeze Blade cried. "We could've asked him where they were!"

"Okay okay, let's just keep our heads," Rubble Rouser insisted. "The worst part about this situation is not knowing what the Drow are doing here. Sure I hit the scout with a hammer. But at least he's here with us and not returning to his subordinates to tell them what he found. We can clear them out before this becomes a bigger issue."

"Give or take the amount of scouts that were sent out," Night Shift reminded him. "Where did the scout come from?"

Freeze Blade pointed to the tree where he had seen the Drow's ears.

"That's a good place to start," Night Shift decided. "Rubble, stay with the scout in case he comes to and tells you where to find them. Freeze Blade and I are fast enough to catch the Drow before they do some real damage to the area."

Freeze Blade's throat went dry at the thought. They were doing this _now_? There was hardly anything to say in the matter, as Night Shift was already heading off into the woods. Freeze Blade followed after him, passing by the brown branches that scratched at his arms. The trees thinned out somewhat as they came across some damage in the woods- trees had been cut down, branches and leaves littered on the ground.

"Drow are trying to move in, the scum," Night Shift spat, observing the damage.

Freeze Blade touched a hand to a stump in the ground. "How long do you think they've been here?"

"Can't say. This is the first we've seen of their presence."

"You'd think the Portal Masters would've informed us of a Drow situation in the area."

"That's the short end of the stick for us in Cloudbreak. We're pretty much on our own when protecting the people here. These islands aren't important unless an enchanted volcano is erupting."

Freeze Blade said nothing.

"Good news right now is that the Drow have to be nearby. We can chase them out, send them flying back to where they came from. C'mon, let's keep going."

They started up again. Freeze Blade's heart thudded in his chest. "So if we find the Drow, this will be my first battle?" he muttered.

"Hopefully," came the reply.

Freeze Blade was heading into battle, he realized.

He was heading into battle.

Oh man, he was _heading into battle_!

Freeze Blade stopped, pressing himself against a tree. He hugged his arms to his chest, his body trembling uncontrollably. He felt his pulse in every muscle in his body, and he found that he could hardly breathe. Freeze Blade wasn't prepared for this. Despite all of the time spent preparing for this moment, he wasn't prepared at all.

"Night Shift, I can't do this! There's no way I can do this!" Freeze Blade managed to shout, his throat dry and his voice cracking from it.

Night Shift paused in his quest, turning slightly to see him. "What's the matter?! We have to go!" he yelled, impatient about finding the Drow.

"I just can't! What if I kill one of them by mistake?" Freeze Blade whined.

"So what? It was an accident- the Portal Masters will forgive that. Now c'mon, we have to go!"

The trembling only continued, and now tears flowed down with the stress as well. "You don't get it!" he continued. "He might have a family, and I will have taken him away from them! I won't be able to live with myself if I knew I'd done something so evil! And you guys just keep telling me 'Oh, you'll be fine, you'll be fine' like you're so sure of what the future holds for me! But you don't _know_! Nobody can be sure of the future, not even me! And don't say I didn't expect to get into a battle- I knew that coming into the Skylanders that I'd have to fight! It's just that I'm here now, and it's a bigger deal than I'd ever thought it to be, and I'm just standing here...I just can't, I can't, I just..."

Night Shift let out a sigh, coming back and leaning on the tree beside Freeze Blade. They stood like this for several minutes, though time didn't seem to move for Freeze Blade. The trembling went away slowly, and he only continued crying after that. Normally he liked to do things quickly- but this event came by way too fast for him.

"I'm sorry for rushing you like this," Night Shift began, finally breaking the silence. "You're feeling this way, and all I'm worrying about is what those Drow are doing here."

"...Maybe even a little scared?" Freeze Blade sniffed.

"Fear of the unknown is something that we face all the time. It does us no good to think about what _could_ happen. Sometimes you just have to jump into the problem before you can do anything about it."

Freeze Blade didn't reply.

"About your worries of accidentally killing a Drow, think about this- if they do have families, why are they out _here_ , serving the Darkness, than being with them? Every enemy that the Skylanders face, whether they be bandits, trolls, or stupid Drow, they gave up their souls to serve the Darkness. There isn't an inch of good left in them. It's up to us to protect the people who are _still_ good, who don't deserve this misfortune placed upon them."

Freeze Blade wiped a few tears away.

"We've done nothing but worry you, haven't we?"

Nod.

Night Shift let out a coughing sound, somewhere between an uneasy laugh and a scoff- perhaps a scloff. "Here I am, trying to do and say what I thought would help you, and I manage to make things worse," he realized. "And it wasn't just me, but everyone else piling onto you until you snapped like this. Of course we don't know what's going to happen to you. But if we can ease your mind, then it'll ease our minds."

Freeze Blade peeled himself away from the tree. "So _you're_ scared for me?" he asked.

Nod.

"It's really hard to get into a good frame of mind for battle when you have absolutely no idea what to do."

"Like I said, sometimes you just have to jump in."

Freeze Blade sighed, a calm running through his body. Fear was still in the back of his mind, but his resolve had changed. "We should keep going," he decided.

Night Shift moved up next to him. "You're going to be okay?" he asked.

"I think so. This is something I have to do."

* * *

The Drow forces were found on a hill in a natural forest clearing, camps set up around the area. The spearmen were set up on watch duty, the goliaths dotted everywhere else. The sheer numbers were immense, with more Drow collected in this area than Freeze Blade had ever heard of. This couldn't quite be an army, but maybe they were looking for something? At least, that was what Night Shift had proposed as the two of them watched from behind the trees.

"They came from an airship, right?" Freeze Blade whispered. "Where is that?"

"Farther away from here," Night Shift insisted. "When you travel farther from your means of travel, you set up camps. I can imagine there being several more camps in the rest of the forest than what we've found here."

"This isn't right. There's too many of them- we need backup."

"We're counting on Rubble Rouser for that. Hopefully he has half a brain to let the others know where we are so they can come assist us."

"We're betting on _hope_ to get us through this?"

"What else do we have?"

Freeze Blade couldn't argue that.

"I want you to divert the spearmen away from the camps and make way for me to attack the goliaths. Keep your distance away from them so they don't overwhelm you. We'll both have to keep our distance and hold out until help arrives."

"You want me to attack that many spearmen all by myself?"

"You have your fancy ice powers- you can slow them down. There's nothing I can do in that area."

Freeze Blade nodded. "I'll make my way around," he decided. "When the spearmen clear out, you head in."

"What are you planning?" Night Shift asked.

"Probably something stupid."

"Better than nothing."

Freeze Blade ducked down, turning left away from Night Shift. He walked around the camp, stepping on the western side of the clearing. A tall structure was in this part- a watchtower, maybe? Freeze Blade planned on doing something stupid indeed. His ice vision was utilized, the frost touching the tower and encasing it in a crystalline sheen. A few spearmen, the ones who had been paying attention to see this happening, went to investigate. That wasn't the number he was hoping to come by. Something bigger needed to happen.

Freeze Blade breathed out, forming an ice chakram in his hand. Touching his other hand to the side of a tree, he coated it in ice, touching a few trees near it. The breeze picked up, sending the nip of the ice into the air through the camp. The Drow were alerted to a true situation, prepared for battle. The goliaths got into battle stance as the rest of the spearmen chased after the ice formations. Freeze Blade started up and skated away, a chase commencing as the first few spearmen caught him in the act.

He fled quite a distance, the spearmen catching up to him. At one point he decided that he ought to do something to fight back. Freeze Blade turned around, sending his ice vision toward the spearmen. Ice formed around them, and they were quickly shoved away by incoming foes. He tossed his chakram at them, knocking them a few feet away onto the sides of trees. Several more spearmen advanced on him before he could move away- but much like the bean bag exercise, he ducked and swerved to avoid their attacks. At one point Freeze Blade misjudged his next movements- as he swerved back from one attack, someone got him from behind. Luckily he was able to sense the next attack coming, able to move so the spear cut him on the side of his shoulder instead of his neck.

Just a flesh wound.

It was at this point when help arrived. A hammer flew through the air, knocking a few spearmen to the ground. Rubble Rouser had come in, panting from the run here. Fatigue didn't seem to bother him at all, however, as he picked up his hammer and kept knocking the heads of the spearmen together. Freeze Blade assisted, freezing enemies into place so Rubble Rouser could slam into them.

"It's nice to see you," Freeze Blade panted.

"Same here," Rubble Rouser replied meekly. "Hey, maybe you should hang back for a bit. You're bleeding."

"Did you bring backup?"

Rubble Rouser looked on sheepishly.

"You didn't bring backup!?"

"I didn't know how many there were!"

"Night Shift's on his own out there. Did you see him?"

"Yeah I saw him. He's doing pretty good, but he's way in over his head- I doubt he'll last much longer on his own. I was going to help him out, but I thought I should find you first."

Freeze Blade's heart thudded in his chest. He looked in the direction he came from, thinking of the camp. "There's no way I'm hanging back in this case," he decided. "Take care of the spearmen. I'm going in to help Night Shift."

"That's not a good idea! You're bleeding!" Rubble Rouser tried to warn him.

But Freeze Blade was already on the move, racing back to the camp. He halted near the tree line, watching the battle that took place there. He could see Night Shift teleporting back and forth, landing blows on the goliaths before they could stampede toward him. But the vampire was looking winded, overwhelmed by the numbers. Freeze Blade jumped out, encasing a few of the brutes in ice before they could attack. Night Shift halted for a moment, as if searching for something, before attacking the ice-covered goliaths. Freeze Blade touched a few more goliaths with ice, halting them and hitting them with his chakram.

The battle lasted for only a few more moments. Freeze Blade and Night Shift attacked a few more goliaths head on before the ice melted. The spearmen ran back through the camp, running off into the woods. Rubble Rouser followed behind them, chasing them out with his hammer raised. The goliaths saw this sight in worriment- if their fearless meat shields were fleeing, what was it that they needed to flee from? So the goliaths ran away as well. The Skylanders watched them run, waiting to see if they weren't simply making a tactical retreat before coming in with reinforcements. Freeze Blade looked at his shoulder, noticing blood trickling down his arm.

"Night Shift...," he panted, prepared to touch his fingers to his wound. So that was why Night Shift had paused when Freeze Blade came in. He was aware that vampires healed using blood, and he thought that Night Shift might need some more aid. Maybe it might help-

"Get that away from me!" Night Shift quickly yelled. "Just let me know that you're alright."

"I'm fine. It only stings a little. How about you?"

"Still alive. That's as good as anything."

Rubble Rouser looked at the two of them. "So you're both okay?" he asked.

They nodded.

"I think it's safe for us to return home, then."

* * *

"You're going to have a problem listening to orders, aren't you?" Rubble Rouser asked as he decorated Freeze Blade's wound.

Freeze Blade merely shrugged.

"Hey, stay still for me, will you? Your constant fidgeting is making it hard for me to put the bandage on."

"It's really uncomfortable sitting in this one spot for so long."

They had returned to the base after their fight with the Drow. The rest of the Skylanders had been informed of this situation, and subsequently warned to look out for more signs of the hateful beings. Night Shift seemed convinced that this wasn't the end to the Drow situation, but Freeze Blade found that he wasn't worried by the thought. He almost looked forward to seeing more of them.

"It's called being impetuous," Rubble Rouser continued. "You just jump in without thinking of the danger. Good way to get hurt."

"You can ease up now, Rubble," Night Shift insisted, patting a damp washcloth on his face. "I'm sure he gets it by now."

"Yeah," Freeze Blade muttered.

Night Shift moved over to their spot in the foyer. "Besides, it's fine to be impetuous in battle," he decided. "Good to think on your feet. You can quickly figure out exactly what you want to do in that way."

"Besides, it's like you told me," Freeze Blade added. "Sometimes you just _have_ to jump in."

"There _is_ something seriously wrong with you two. There just has to be," Rubble Rouser mumbled to himself. Tying off the bandaging on Freeze Blade's shoulder, he changed his train of thought and said, "So this was your first battle, kid. Told you there was nothing to worry about, didn't I?"

Freeze Blade grew a grin on his face. "Yeah. And it wasn't so bad," he realized. "When I was deep into it, I somehow knew what I wanted to do. I believed you guys before, but I think I just had to see it for myself."

"I'm simply amazed by our skills today. The three of us managed to chase out that horde of Drow," Night Shift wondered. "Was it sheer will that gained us the victory? Luck? Maybe even-"

"Now why don't _you_ ease up, grandpa?" Rubble Rouser sighed. "At least for today. The situation's been handled."

"We're all okay," Freeze Blade promised. "And don't worry about me. I'll be absolutely fine in my next battle."

Night Shift sighed, a slight smile creeping onto his face. "I guess you're right," he said. "For now."


	16. Blackout: A Dream Deffered

**Hi! I'm alive! :) I might be gone for a while again, but I think I'm starting to figure out how to write at least one requested chapter!**

Chapter Sixteen: A Dream Deferred

Skylands is a world governed by magic, practically filled to the brim with it. There is so much magic that the power of dreams can hardly stay contained in it. As such, a separate realm connected to Skylands was born- the Realm of Dreams. This realm houses the collected dream worlds of Skylands people, keeping them safe for all time.

Horrible nightmares are also kept there, contained by the Dark Stygian- a force of dragons brought into the universe for the soul purpose of keeping the Realm in order amidst the lucid chaos created by the imaginations of all dreamers.

So when a dream vanishes from your mind, it never really goes away. It is saved in the Realm of Dreams, where it is saved for all eternity.

But Blackout's story truly begins in Skylands, where all dreams begin.

To be more specific, a dream begins in the mind of a resting person in Skylands. Blackout was born in the mind of Portal Master Eon, a protector of Skylands, one late night. Eon was still young at the time, and not as wise and experienced as he is now. He didn't see the beauty in the strange dragon, with broken wings, dark scales, and a large horn on his nose. He was a nightmare being, and all nightmares had to be purged from his mind.

Blackout didn't give up so easily at first. He was still new to the universe. He sought out friends to play with. He was hardly aware of his terrifying appearance- wasn't this how all dragons looked?

Eon soon put a dream-blocker spell on his dreamworld, keeping everything in there calm and serene. That managed to kick Blackout out for a time, and he kept himself to the Realm of Dreams permanently. He didn't understand. Eon was his creator. Why didn't he want him? Had Blackout done something to make him mad? He just didn't understand it.

Blackout kept to himself in this realm, wandering around on the celestial plains, looking at the beautiful creations brought up by the dreamers of Skylands. Everything on the celestial plains was abstract, melded together by stray dreams that escaped dream worlds, despite dreamworlds being mostly in order despite also being somewhat abstract. Cute creatures flew about, usually bubbly pink or blue, as well as more complex creatures like the dragons and the sphynxes made from dreams. Dark, twisted nightmares also roamed about, taking the form of snakes, spiders and other horrible monsters, terrorizing the bubblies, before being captured by the Stygian.

Cute, twisted, Blackout thought it was all wonderful. But he could see where the line divided between the bubblies that dreamers preferred. He would take a peek in other people's dream worlds every now and then, and see what was going on. The dream figments that people created to represent themselves preferred to play and sing with the bubblies, acting in the same personality as the dreamer. However, when nightmares were created in the dream world, the dream figments would flee from them, finding their worst fears in the creature. "Get away! Leave me alone! You're a monster!" They would say that to the nightmares before shoving them out into the celestial plains.

Blackout compared himself to these creatures. He was dark and scary. He looked to be made of shadows. He had a foreboding appearance that could scare someone. No wonder Eon never wanted to play with him, he realized.

Soon he stopped seeing the joy in the Realm of Dreams. It wasn't fun to scream with no sound. It wasn't fun to hit the wall and feel no pain. It wasn't fun to fall down the stairs and catch yourself. It wasn't fun to fly, to leap through portals, to find your dream girl. None of that was fun, since Blackout was always alone.

One day, he found a bubbly messing around in another person's dream world. But was that what she actually was? She was a floating head with light blue skin and dark blue hair, wearing a bow on top. The girl looked very much like a bubbly, but she certainly didn't act like one. She actually _created_ figments inside of a dreamer's dream world. Sentient ones, that actively tortured the dream figment and made their lives miserable. Blackout, who'd hidden in the dream world to watch her, was pushed out along with her when the dreamer woke up, locking them out until he fell asleep again.

"And I thought you were a good dream," Blackout told her.

"Well, good dreams can be deceiving," the girl said, flashing him teeth with metal attached. "I can manipulate those dream worlds, changing them into my own."

"Can you teach me?"

The girl's interest peaked. "It's something only I can do," she began. "Nobody else can do it. But I'd like to see you try."

"That's great!" Blackout said.

"The name's Dreamcatcher. You?"

"I'm Blackout."

* * *

And the Dreamcatcher bubbly began teaching Blackout how to manipulate dreams. They started small- changing doors from brown to green, switching dining room chairs with bean bag chairs, and eventually changing the hair color of a dream figment. Blackout caught on quickly, however, surpassing Dreamcatcher's expectations. He eventually created sentient figments just like she could. The figments were his new favorite thing, and he spent a lot of time creating bubblies of his own.

"Is that all you can do with those?" Dreamcatcher scoffed. "For a nightmare such as yourself, I expected to see more dark figments come from you."

Blackout looked away from the bubbly sugarbat he'd created and looked at her. "Am I doing something wrong?" he asked.

"Not necessarily, but I think you're wasting potential with those things," Dreamcatcher explained. "Think of all the damage you could do to these dreamers if you took it up a notch, created the most terrifying figments imaginable, shoved it in their faces!"

"Why do I want to do that? The dreamers haven't done anything to me."

"They also haven't done anything _for_ you, now have they? They've never done anything for either of us. We barely matter to them!"

She had a point. Blackout took another look at the celestial plains around them. Why did this place exist? Why did the two of them exist? Why did they stay in here, unknown to the wider world of Skylands? Everything in here, all of the wonders and beauties and nightmares they saw, had all been discarded at one point or another. Dreams deferred, dreams forgotten. They had all been tossed away by dreamers that quickly forgot about them. That had to be the reason for all of this, right? That made sense to him.

Blackout looked back at the sugarbat he made. It was cute enough, as sugarbats went. He suddenly started tearing it apart, limb from limb, until all parts lay before him once more. The ears were replaced with horns that sat squarely on the head. The head was stuck back onto the torso, but where the tail had been. The wings were stuck high up on the back, and talons were put where the wings used to lay. The tail was stuck onto the neck, and Blackout molded it until a maw with six sets of jagged teeth were set on it.

His beautiful masterpiece had been turned into an abomination.

And he wasn't done there.

He stretched its body out, growing it bigger and scarier. The purple color scheme was replaced by a wonderful palette of browns, grays and blacks. The eyes turned red, like those of a ravenous pack animal. Blackout then tore one of the eyes out, sticking it onto the chest. The sugarbat was now a nightmare, not even a true creature. It's only purpose now was to terrify some poor lost soul out there, becoming the fear that kept them up at night.

Dreamcatcher looked at his creation, a crooked smile set on her face. "Nice job," was all she said.

The misshapen nightmare was set to attack the dream world of a young boy; a short fellow with a fierce temper, who tried to resemble the terrible face of the creature whenever he attacked Skylands with his army of trolls and Greebles.

* * *

Blackout and Dreamcatcher became a true team. They devastated the dream worlds of several people in Skylands. In the waking world, most dreamers were left traumatized, catatonic, unsure of what to do in order to escape the nightmares. Some dreamers became shy, too afraid to take a chance on the basis that they would get hurt. Some shut themselves in, too afraid to even dream, until it was noticed that their dream world disappeared altogether. It was absolute chaos.

Blackout had never enjoyed himself more. He had never had someone to play with before, and he could play with Dreamcatcher all he wanted. Sometimes they'd team up to create an especially horrifying monster, one that didn't stay for too long but nonetheless ripped apart the dreamworld in a cataclysmic event. Blackout found new joy in creating these nightmares. He relished the way that the dream figments suffered, either by bleeding out before the dream world closed, or by being torn limb from limb, or by falling into an endless pit. Their silence gave him pleasure- they didn't even have the ability to scream.

"We make quite a team, don't we?" Blackout asked Dreamcatcher one day when they found the very edge of the celestial plains. Beyond that very ridge was a floating prison, known as Lucid Lockdown, where the Dark Stygian locked up the nightmares. Escaping the Stygian was a mere hobby for them at this point.

"I wonder if the waking world of Skylands has caught onto us, yet," Dreamcatcher giggled.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you this before...I was curious about it when I met you...but what made you start destroying dream worlds?"

"You know that reason. They neglected me, forgot me, threw me aside like I didn't matter. They should see now that I _do_ matter."

"And you're a nightmare to boot. All dreams are thrown away, but nightmares are hated upon before that happens."

"Exactly!"

"But you used to be a good dream at one point, too, right? You don't seem like a nightmare. Do you remember how you changed?"

Dreamcatcher didn't answer right away. Something was going on inside her mind, but Blackout couldn't tell what it was. "I don't remember," she finally said.

It was this fact that seemed to bother her, even slightly, no matter how strong she tried to appear in front of Blackout.

"Not at all?" Blackout repeated. "Not even a little piece?"

"Not a piece," Dreamcatcher confirmed.

"Do you remember who dreamed you up in the first place?"

"Who remembers that detail? I'm sure you've forgotten by now."

Blackout stammered out, "...It was just a thought." But the truth was that he _did_ remember. He remembered Eon, though it had been long ago since he tried to get in. By now, unbeknownst to Blackout, the dream-blocker spell had worn off, Eon having forgotten why he'd been scared enough to place it up. Blackout hardly thought about trying to get back in. Rejection stung like poison, coming upon the thought that Eon hated him. Blackout had decided long ago that he hated Eon, too.

It was this thought that fueled his anger.

As they talked about these things, the Stygian came upon them. The shenanigans of Blackout and Dreamcatcher hadn't gone unnoticed by these dragons. The Dark Stygian had been onto them, and now they had the crooks surrounded. Blackout and Dreamcatcher fought back, using the dream energy they'd stolen from traumatic dreamers to their advantage, but the forces working against them were too great. The two were overpowered, and taken to the Lucid Lockdown.

Blackout hadn't imagined what these walls would be like. Truth of it was, the only reason the two of them were captured was because they'd gotten cocky. "It'll never happen to us," they told each other. "We're too good for the Stygian to track!" And here they were now.

* * *

The walls of the Lucid Lockdown were...actual walls. Grey, boring walls. The interior of the prison was like a normal prison in Skylands, except extremely boring. That was the Dark Stygian's plan for eliminating the nightmares permanently. The nightmares were isolated from each other, locked alone in separate cells with nothing to do, until they faded from the Realm of Dreams into the stardust of the universe. Apparently there _was_ a way that dreams could disappear- if they simply lost the will to go on.

Blackout wouldn't stand for it. Each day in confinement, he would train himself. He pushed against the wall, strengthening his legs and arms. He sliced at the bars of his cell, strengthening his wings and claws. He worked every day, keeping himself busy, keeping himself strong. Blackout would survive. He would get out of here eventually.

Nothing seemed to escape the ever-watchful eye of the Dark Stygian. Blackout's tenacity was no different. The leader of the Stygian confronted him one day, hoping to recruit him into their forces. They were always looking for strong dragons to send to the dream worlds of Skylands' hated villains, hoping to discourage them from villainy- apparently that was one of their goals as well .Blackout didn't really want to work with this goody-two-winged organization, but it was his ticket out of the prison, so he took it.

"You've made the right choice, Blackout," they told him once he'd officially joined. "Nobody gets out of Lucid Lockdown alive. And, frankly, you have a set of skills that are...necessary for our cause."

They pointed out his skill with creating the figments, he knew. He also knew that the reason he was selected for the Stygian was because he was a dragon. Dreamcatcher hadn't been selected for it, purely because she wasn't like them. It was the thing he hated the most about this elitist clan.

No matter. Dreamcatcher eventually made her own way out as well.

* * *

The Stygian had their own headquarters as well, located in the very center of the Realm of Dreams. It was a large citadel floating above the celestial plains. It held only a single large room, adorned by a single large crystal ball. The crystal was actually how the Stygian got to different dream worlds remotely. They wouldn't have to travel all the way to a dream world, but go through the crystal in their work place and make it there and back before breakfast. The dragons heading into a dream world would receive the name of the dreamer they were to see, then say it aloud and be transported there immediately.

Blackout found little joy doing the Stygian's work. It made his talents useless and boring. Everyone could create figments used to rip apart dream worlds, so he had nothing new to offer them. They basically told him what to do, and he had no choice but to do it. Blackout wasn't supposed to ask questions or challenge authority, or else be sent back to Lucid Lockdown, this time with restraints on his feet. Ripping apart dream worlds became a chore for him, and it was hardly fun anymore.

However, he still enjoyed the tortured look of the villains' faces. They were the worst offenders. They thought they owned the universe, and insisted that it was theirs to control. That power was beyond them. Only Blackout had that power when he was in their dream worlds. He could show them how wrong they were about everything. He could make them suffer in any way he saw fit- strangle them, drown them, distort the appearance of the dream figments to show how twisted they truly were inside. All villains were the same, and all dreamers deserved to suffer.

"Your methods are a bit extreme, aren't they?" the leader asked after a while.

"They get the job done, don't they?" Blackout insisted.

"I remember the damage you used to do to average dreamers before you came here. I don't want to see that in your work now. Doing so will make you no better than the villains we touch."

"It's the same amount of damage that everyone else does. I'll sometimes poke in the minds of villains that other members have touched, just for inspiration. There's hardly any change among the damage they do and the damage I do."

"Yes, I've noticed that, as of late. It wasn't how we used to do things around here, and I was worried for a while."

"And you didn't do anything about it?"

"It gets the message across- don't mess with forces you can't possibly control. That's the thing that all villains misunderstand, and what inevitably leads to their downfall. If they see that early on, they can be set on the right path. I've got my eye out for infractions, and I'll correct anything that I see unfit."

A Stygian member named Aku, the one member who'd actually asked Blackout to call him by something, came up to them. He held a slip of paper in his paw, which he formally gave to Blackout.

"This one is a strange case," Aku began. "There's absolutely nothing I can do to influence this girl. I'm sure you have the capabilities to do so, Blackout."

"Who is the girl?" the leader asked.

"A white dragon named Spotlight. She popped out of nowhere and into Skylands a few months ago. She sounds like bad news, so we should set her straight immediately. But she has nothing for me to change, to manipulate, into doing this. Shouldn't we have Blackout take a look?"

"I guess that seems appropriate."

Blackout nodded, and went straight for the crystal ball. He touched the clear surface, requesting to seek the dream world of Spotlight, and in a moment he was there.

At least he thought he was. There was just a blank space that went on for miles and miles. It was unearthly, unseen, frightening. Blackout had seen everything there was to see in the Realm of Dreams, and to see nothing was just a complete slap to the face. He wandered for a short time, and eventually found a white dragoness in the middle of the space. He almost missed her- the only thing setting her off from the white were the gold rings in her wings and the gold star pattern on her head. The dragoness smiled patiently, as if waiting for something.

Blackout stepped up to her slowly. He had no idea what to do, either. His most pressing concern was how the dragoness would react- if she ran away from him, he might not be able to find her. But as he got closer, and she saw him, she didn't run away. In fact, she smiled when he came forward.

She couldn't know what a nightmare was.

She'd just come into the world of Skylands.

She was like a dream, like a reflection of what Blackout had once been.

"You must be Spotlight, correct?" Blackout asked.

"How did you guess?" the dragoness, Spotlight, asked.

"Well...this is a dream. Everyone in a dream knows your name."

"I don't find people in my dreams. You're the first one I've ever seen. Who are you?"

He'd more than blown his cover at this point. He could manipulate a villain's dream all he liked, but the dream figment wasn't supposed to see his true form. Blackout wasn't hiding, and he hadn't changed at all. Here was Blackout, showing his true form in front of someone he was supposed to give a nightmare to.

"What are you doing right now?" Blackout asked.

"Waiting for sunrise, so I can wake up and do stuff," Spotlight explained.

"You know, you can do whatever you want in a dream."

"It doesn't look like there's much to do."

"Not yet, there isn't. You know what a canvas is, right? Well right now, this whole place is your canvas. You can change and make it into anything you want."

Blackout showed her. In front of her paws, he created a small, delicate purple flower. It was the first thing of true beauty he'd created in years. It was innocent enough to lure her into this idea.

The flower seemed to work. Spotlight placed her paw in the spot next to the purple flower, letting a white flower sprout up. She was intrigued by this act, and ran around springing multiple-colored flowers in her wake. Spotlight forgot about the grass, so Blackout waved his wings forward and created a lush green to surround the flowers . Working together, they made a large field.

"You haven't filled up the whole canvas yet," Blackout reminded her, referring to the white walls.

Spotlight nodded, and pointed her tail to a white spot to her left. A large castle made of crystal came forth as if painted by an unseen force. Blackout busied himself by growing large oak trees in the field they'd made, putting little squirrels and doves in the branches. He backed away as he did so- he was making bubblies! He'd sworn not to make bubblies again!

But he caught himself in the masterpiece that Spotlight was making. She turned the sky into a purple night, dotting it with a cluster of star systems far beyond them. Blue stars, yellow stars, white stars, pink and purple stars, they all swirled together in some beautiful pattern. A large full moon appeared as well, moonlight streaming toward the castle, and the castle spreading the moonlight across the field dotted with the flowers and trees they'd made.

It was the first time in a long time that Blackout had thought about the masterpieces he'd made. There was a kind of life to everything he created. He looked back to the squirrels and doves that ran about. They were perfectly at peace in this world. He couldn't simply tear them apart and turn them into amalgamations of other, strange creatures. He couldn't simply torture Spotlight, who was so young and inexperienced.

He realized that something didn't quite add up with his assignment, either.

Blackout dismissed himself from Spotlight's dreamworld, heading back into the citadel of the Dark Stygian. He started poking in the dreams of villains that other Stygian members touched before. He had visited to see what they'd done before, but now he was paying attention to the dream figments of the victims. There were villains in the list, like Brock the Drow or the puppeteer Mesmerelda, but Blackout was shocked to see who else had been affected.

The innocent Mabu, who have always been peaceful with the creatures they lived with in Skylands.

The denizens of Dragons' Peak, who had done absolutely nothing wrong in the world.

Some Skylanders, protectors of the world, who had only ever tried to save people.

The Stygian members had changed long before Blackout had been offered to join. They were aware of the power they wielded. They knew what they were supposed to do. "Don't mess with forces you can't possibly control," they said. But the Stygian _could_ control these forces, and they did so for their own pleasure.

Blackout was the only one who could do something right now.

But why should he? The dreamers had never done anything for him. They'd left him here to be forgotten. Eon had quickly discarded him soon after conception. And it wasn't like Blackout didn't enjoy watching the dreamers suffer. Their expressions were amazing! They all deserved what they got! He wouldn't be forgotten by them any longer!

Then was this...how he wanted to be remembered?

Blackout would start with Aku, and give him a piece of his mind. Oh, but where had Aku gone? Blackout looked in the crystal ball, checking for the last dreamworld that the dragon had visited. There was one dreamworld, a complex one, where Aku and the majority of the Stygian had gone into. He could easily track him in there- but this dreamworld was one he couldn't simply go into without his anger boiling to the limit.

Even so, he touched the crystal and requested to visit that world.

"Master Eon."

* * *

Several long years had passed since the last time they saw each other. Blackout was unaware of the true time, but at this point Eon had become a true Portal Master. He was the human leader of the Skylanders, and was wiser than the earth below them. However, there were parts of him that Eon found incomplete, and was going back in a dream to face his deepest fears.

The dream world was set in a labyrinth when Blackout arrived. The walls and corridors were constantly shifting, turning itself into a puzzle for the dream figment of Eon. It would be impossible to find the Stygian in here.

If it were more complicated than that.

Follow the trail of destruction. Several walls had been torn away, created by the Stygian in an attempt to find the dream figment. Blackout took the rubble and transformed it, creating a figment army made from the bricks and stone of the labyrinth. He led them through the dreamworld, charging down the path of destruction. Blackout came across a giant pillar depicting a terrifying dragon more menacing than Blackout, and it was here where the Stygian had gotten stock.

"Aku! Come here and face me!" Blackout bellowed.

Aku turned and stepped forward, meeting Blackout at his horned nose. The Stygian dragons stepped behind him, prepared to attack. A war was going to break out here.

"I was going to invite you," Aku insisted. "I know how much you enjoy terrorizing the dreamers. I see it in your eyes every time you return to the citadel. It pleases you to see them suffer."

"Apparently you enjoy the same look more on innocent bystanders," Blackout replied disdainfully.

"Is that wrong? Is that really wrong of me to do? I was bred to create nightmares to reform villains, and that's all I've ever done. For thousands of years, I've been stuck in this rut that I cannot possibly get out of. I wondered if that was all I was good for- just a means to an end for one impossible goal. There are always going to be evil people in the world! Nothing we do is going to change that! I'd rather have fun before the Stygian leader catches on to me."

"The point is not to keep evil from rising. There will always be dark as there is light, and that balance is necessary. What matters is what we choose to do, and I'm ready to turn it around and change my ways! I don't have to let you go down for this, and I don't want to fight if I don't have to!"

"A fight is necessary! You'll just tell the leader what we've done if we stand down right now!"

Both sides lashed out at one another. The rest of the Stygian attacked the nightmare warriors, forcing them off each other's backs. Blackout and Aku wrestled with each other, kicking their faces and guts. Blackout had Aku pinned on the ground at one point, bashing his head into the stone. Aku threw him off, ramming him into the statue. The statue crumbled and fell apart, landing on a few Stygian members in the way.

Aku came upon Blackout again, but was quickly shoved away by one of Blackout's nightmare creations. With this opportunity, Blackout stood up and launched at Aku again. They locked once more, thrashing about the labyrinth, leading each other away from the battle. They fought near the edge of the walls, which had been cleared away to reveal a large, bottomless pit. Aku cornered Blackout here, slashing his face with long claws, trying to push him down. If they fell in, they would be pushed out of the dream world and back into the citadel, unable to manipulate the dream further.

"You think you can be a hero?" Aku insulted him. "You think you can change your path? There are _no_ other options for you! You were born as a nightmare! You cannot change your destiny! You are set to forever be on a path of destruction! None of us can change who we are, where we end up! You're another great fool in this sea of fools, trying to change what cannot be fixed!"

Blackout grabbed Aku by the wings. He spun him around, launching him off the edge. Aku fell down into the pit, his connection with this dream world severed. Blackout raced back to the battle, creating cages to trap the Stygian dragons. With knowledge that their ring leader had been defeated, they dismissed themselves from the dream world willingly. Blackout had more power over them at this point, and besides, what were they going to do without Aku telling them so?

The labyrinth cleared away, forming into a linear path. A dream figment in a blue robe and white beard walked forward. The figure wore a helmet on his head- a token from his old home, Blackout remembered.

This was Eon.

"I knew of a disturbance in this place," Eon told Blackout. "What happened here?"

Blackout scoffed. "Nothing I couldn't handle," he simply said. Eon certainly had the gall to talk to Blackout as if he were a friend.

Truth of it was, this was part of Master Eon's ritual. He was ashamed of the fears he'd had as a child, the fact that he hadn't wanted to explore them as he got older, and was now taking the time to face his demons. He wasn't going to run away this time. Eon simply thought that Blackout had stayed in his subconscious all this time, hiding in the back when he decided not to face him. It couldn't have truly been known that Blackout had given up seeing him, given up on playing with him, and absolutely refusing to try and return.

"I see you've changed," Eon continued.

"I haven't changed," Blackout spat. "I'm a nightmare. I've always been a nightmare. You threw me out long ago, and that let me thrive in the darkness. You forgot about me in that time. And now you have the nerve to speak to me again!"

"I never forgot about you. I remembered how much your form terrified me as a child, and I always wondered what I'd find had I decided to confront you."

Blackout hadn't been forgotten? All this time, Eon had remembered him? Blackout started crying at the notion. For the first time in his life, he cried. Everything he'd bottled up, all the anger and sadness, just came out at that moment.

Eon placed a hand on Blackout's head, comforting him and showing him that it was true. "I don't know what I was thinking, before," he explained. "You've broken out of this shell. It's easy for you to live as the nightmare you appear to be, and even harder to try and change people's perception of you by being something else. The will to change and break out of that shell defines who you truly are, and I think I know where your true place is."

That seemed true. Blackout could break out of his shell, become something more than what had defined him. He started to smile once again. He hadn't been forgotten after all.

True dreams are never forgotten.

 **Title for this chapter comes from the poem "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes.**


	17. Voodood: A Family Of My Own

_**Skylanders United:**_ **Now with chapter titles in the search bar!**

Chapter Seventeen: A Family of My Own

 _Heavy clouds gathered at the edge of the island. They were ominous and dark, carrying evil within them. Drow fell from the clouds, landing on their feet. They began to destroy the homes of the orcs, taking their valuables._

 _But the orcs were always prepared to fight. They retaliated in great numbers, fighting off the Drow. Voodood led the charge as the leader of the Ooga Orcs. While the Ooga clan was infamous for banditry, they defended the orcs' home island from invaders. And defend the orcs' island they did, hacking away at the thousands of Drow that marched forth._

 _Voodood stayed back, covering the tails of his men. His Axe Reaver was quickly stained, dripping with the blood of his enemies. Except, it didn't seem like true blood. The color was too dark, and the scent was more salty than coppery. These enemies weren't men, but creatures of an entirely different breed._

 _Then Voodood looked at the cloud itself. The ground turned to ash in its wake, though fire wasn't used. Innocent orcs screamed when caught in the storm- they too were turned to ash. The cloud got bigger with everything it ate. Voodood realized the horror and gravity of the situation. Even if the Drow were stopped, the orcs couldn't win._

 _"Fall back!" Voodood shouted._

 _No one budged._

 _"Get away!" he shouted in their native tongue._

 _They did not. For their native tongue didn't have a term for "fall back," and orcs never retreated from battle._

 _Not even when they should._

"Hey Voodood, wake up!"

Voodood did. He literally jumped awake, leaping from the chair he had been sitting in. His mind was fired up for battle, and he grabbed his Axe Reaver. Voodood raised the axe and turned around- but quickly relaxed when he found that the ghoul with the chain had woken him. The battle from his nightmare was over. Instead he had hidden himself away in the library of Eon's Citadel.

"Sorry," Voodood sighed, lowering the axe.

"I know. You were only startled," the ghoul, Ghost Roaster, agreed. "Another nightmare?"

"Not another. Same one."

"Sounded different. You were shaking, muttering in your sleep. You nearly screamed.

It all sounded true. Voodood was often plagued with a recurring nightmare of the battle that destroyed his homeland. Why must he be forced to relive his failure every night? Hadn't he made up for that by becoming a Skylander? He couldn't change what had happened.

"Time?" Voodood asked.

Ghost Roaster cocked his head.

Right, he needed to be more specific. "What is...the time?" Voodood repeated.

"Oh! It's 7:35. And you missed the dinner rush."

That was the difficulty of being a Skylander for Voodood. Orcs had their own language that differed from other species. He learned bits and pieces from other villages, and even more on his own, but Voodood still had trouble. Even after Ghost Roaster began helping him, he still had trouble. For instance, the ghoul had explained that Voodood could call him "Ghost" and leave it at that. But people shared first names all the time. Suppose Voodood met another "Ghost" who was not a Roaster? It eased confusion to use full names.

"Voodood suppose all Skylanders miss dinner rush," Voodood teased, remembering Ghost's appetite.

"I wish," Ghost sighed.

"You wish friends to go hungry?"

"I meant that I missed dinner, too. After today's mission in Stormy Stronghold, I was wiped out- you were too, I guess. I went to my bedroom for a quick nap, but I woke up after dinnertime."

Voodood patted Ghost on the back. "Ghost Roaster need more sleep," he insisted. "Never sleep at all."

"I sleep. You just happen to be asleep when I am."

"Sure." Voodood rolled his eyes at Ghost's comment.

"Whatever. Let's just find the kitchen and see if someone saved us leftovers."

Ghost led the way as they left the library. They walked down the hallway, turning right at the next staircase. Walking down, Ghost turned left down another hallway. Voodood was confused- the kitchen was down the other hallway. He went and found Ghost Roaster, who had found four tiny griffin babies.

Oh. So that's why he came here.

"Ha ha! Haven't seen you little munchkins all day!" Ghost smiled. "Where's your mother?"

"Mom told us to wait here while she talked to Eon," a female chick explained. "Trying to find a cure to our curse."

That was another sad fact for the Skylanders. Sonic Boom had joined the Skylanders last month to avenge her babies. A curse caused the chicks to turn back into eggs after a period of time. So far, there was no cure. On the bright side, the chicks retained their memories outside of the eggs, and Voodood was glad that Ghost Roaster had bonded with them.

"You were in Stormy Stronghold, right?" a male chick asked. "Was it windy?"

"So windy!" Ghost exagerated.

"And you were fighting Drow! Were they scary?"

"Not to me. _I_ was scarier!"

"Ghost Roaster chase Drow into my axe!" Voodood put in, joining the story.

"So why did it take you so long to get home?" another female chick asked.

Ghost shrugged meekly. "Of course, the Drow brought help in the form of Spell Punks," he added.

" _Time_ Spell Punks!" Voodood elaborated. "Make Voodood fight slowly!"

"Did you _die_?" another male chick gasped.

"I think you know the answer to that," Ghost insisted.

The chicks all gasped in awe. Voodood admitted that Ghost was better with the chicks than he was. He'd never really been good with kids, even back when he was a child. Of course, he always tried to interact with the chicks when he could- they liked him too, he supposed. Voodood wasn't sure. He usually just followed Ghost's lead in things like this. The ghoul knew far more about being a leader than Voodood did.

"What are you doing with my babies!?" a voice screeched down the hallway.

And as per usual, here to ruin their fun with the chicks was Sonic Boom. She ran down the hallway at lightning speed once she saw Ghost Roaster. The griffin had bluish-black feathers- those were the colors used to describe bruises, but Voodood knew that the color of her feathers wasn't quite the same as a bruise. She also wore a silver helmet on her head dawning a swirly symbol, like some kind of token. He wasn't aware that griffins had tokens of their own- usually the orcs were the only ones who kept tokens. But the number one thing about Sonic Boom was that she was overprotective- a "helicopter parent" Ghost had described her as once.

"Aw c'mon, Mom, we were just playing," a female chick promised.

"Playing leads to falling, and falling leads to dying," Sonic Boom insisted as she corralled them closer to her with giant wings.

"You're going to keep them from _playing_ now?" Ghost spat, crossing his arms.

"Until such point as the curse is lifted, yes," Sonic Boom sneered back.

It was surprising that Ghost had such a good relationship with the chicks. The same could absolutely not be said about him and the mother.

"I thought I said I didn't want you anywhere near my children," Sonic Boom said in a low growl.

"Is this still about the pancake incident?" Ghost asked. "You don't just leave eggs in a kitchen. Especially when they look exactly like chicken eggs they sell in cartons at the store. I'm actually surprised your species has survived this long despite that."

"They got away from me. You know how big of terrors these little brats can be when they're out of their eggs."

"Hey!" a tiny voice whined from under a giant wing.

"Be quiet!" Sonic Boom yelled at them. Toward Ghost Roaster, she continued, "Does anything get through that thick skull of yours?"

"You can't control them forever!" Ghost yelled. "They have to spread their wings at some point. And you know I wouldn't hurt them if I knew what they were!"

"But you don't know anything, you heinous creature! As long as this curse lasts, I will look over them with my very last breath! But I guess a ghoul like you couldn't understand the devotion of a parent, can you?"

A loud _poof!_ was heard, and the chick had gone back inside of their eggs. While the curse was still strong, the chicks knew how to speed up the time before they went back into the eggs. They often did this when they were in danger or when things were getting too intense- like right now. Voodood just found himself angry. How dare Sonic Boom say these things when she hadn't spent that much time among the Skylanders!

"Good day to you," Sonic Boom spat, walking past them and up the stairs.

Voodood scoffed, arms folded. "Big bird has nothing but hot air!" he declared. "Right, Ghost Roaster?"

He looked at Ghost. The ghoul was visibly upset. His arms remained crossed, but now his head was drooping down slightly as well. He was thinking about something, his eyes flicking about and looking troubled. Was Ghost considering what Sonic Boom had said? He shouldn't! She didn't know what she was talking about!

"Hot air, Ghost Roaster!" Voodood yelled.

"Right. Hot air," Ghost muttered.

He was hardly thinking of Voodood's words. Voodood asked, "Wasn't Ghost Roaster looking for kitchen?" hoping that would grab his attention.

"Right. Kitchen."

Not even that? But Ghost Roaster loved food. "Voodood talk to Sonic Boom for Ghost Roaster," Voodood decided.

"Right. You do that."

Voodood turned back toward the stairs, leaving Ghost Roaster where he was. He almost thought to make sure he was okay, but he was too furious at Sonic Boom to think of anything else.

Had he known what Ghost was thinking about, he would've stayed to figure out the problem.

Voodood stomped up the stairs as quickly as possible. He reached the floor and ran down the hall, catching Sonic Boom as she moved toward the Skylanders' bedrooms. He stopped her in her path. Sonic Boom was visibly surprised, though her signature scowl soon returned.

"What are you doing here, orc?" Sonic Boom asked.

Voodood cleared his throat. She probably wasn't thinking about the words she'd said earlier. It was better to clear the air before he got to his lecture. "Voodood want to say that kin of Sonic Boom are very cute," he began.

This surprised her. "Why thank you," she mused.

"Who is father?"

"Well, I am from the Cirrus-Valkyrie clan, of which my father-"

"Not what Voodood mean." Voodood pointed to the eggs she was carrying. This angered him further. How could Sonic Boom assume that he was asking about her father when they were already talking about the chicks?

"Oh," Sonic Boom realized. Her scowl returned, and she started walking off, saying, " _He_ doesn't matter."

"But who is father?" Voodood repeated.

"He doesn't matter. Can't we just leave it at that?"

Voodood stepped in her path once more. "Sonic Boom must apologize to Ghost Roaster!" he demanded.

"What? Why would I ever do something like that?" Sonic Boom scoffed.

"Ghost Roaster hurt. Sonic Boom apologize to Ghost Roaster."

"Honestly, I don't understand why you follow him like a little duckling. An ugly duckling, I might add. Ghost Roaster isn't the first ghoul I've met- they're all the same group of hideous, bloodthirsty monsters that the Underworld is known for."

"Sonic Boom not know that! Sonic Boom not know anything about Ghost Roaster or Skylanders! Learn to keep tongue! Learn to be nice! Learn about others before accusing them of these things!"

"I have a right to say what I want about you guys. It's a free world. Though I wouldn't want bandits and Drow running rampant throughout this free world, that's the way it is. I'm just here to break this foul curse on my children."

"Sonic Boom cannot simply say as she pleases! Must have regard for feelings of other people! How would Sonic Boom like it if Voodood said every mean thing off the top of head?"

"Go ahead! I can take it! If your friend is upset, it's because he can't!"

Oh, it was just _too_ easy now! "Sonic Boom is ugly, disgusting creature!" he yelled. "Care only for herself! Feathers the color of bruises! Ugly beak that spits out lies! Arrogant, selfish, prideful! List goes on and on!"

A crowd of Skylanders had started gathering around the pair. They were intrigued at this display that Voodood was giving. Voodood hardly thought of them. In fact, why not let the world know what an awful creature Sonic Boom was?

Sonic Boom glanced toward the crowd, and said, "Keep going. What else can that small orc brain of yours come up with?"

"Sonic Boom is helicopter parent!" Voodood continued, louder this time. "Sonic Boom is _bad_ parent! Sonic Boom know nothing about rearing children! In fact, one might even say Sonic Boom is _naughty_ bird!"

A chorus of 'ohhhhhhs' arose from the crowd.

"What are you suggesting?" Sonic Boom dared him.

"Father- of kin- must be rogue bird," Voodood said slowly, accepting the dare. "Chicks are born, and he leaves!"

Sonic Boom's expression turned dark. She looked about ready to rip Voodood's head off. The Skylanders quickly cleared out as another, more powerful, figure came up the stairs- nobody wanted to be caught in that kind of crossfire.

"What? Did Voodood push button?" Voodood asked Sonic Boom, arms crossed.

A coughing sound came up. Voodood slowly turned around, looking directly at the powerful figure. It was Master Eon, the white-bearded, blue-robed Portal Master. He was the leader of the Skylanders- that also meant that he was the one who broke up these kinds of conflicts. Eon had his hands on his hips, clearly displeased.

"Master Eon...," Voodood grimaced, arms leaving the fold.

"Oh Master!" Sonic Boom said, bounding over to the Portal Master's side. There was fake distress in her voice- nothing Voodood had said had any effect on her. "You should've heard the nasty things he said to me! Ugly! Disgusting! Frivolous, of all things! Honestly, I can't believe you let this orc into the Skylanders with that tongue of his!"

"Master Eon should have heard things Sonic Boom say to Ghost Roaster!" Voodood yelled back.

"You are both being childish!" Eon yelled. "If you two have a score to settle, we have a training yard where you can actually duke it out to relieve tension. There is no need to resort to this name calling, no matter what happened. You two are allies, you are Skylanders, and you are adults! Now I want you to _act_ like it."

Eon left them. Sonic Boom went on her way as well, giving Voodood a look that said, "Ha ha, you lose!" Voodood certainly felt like a loser. When his clan was alive, everything he had, including his words could shake the very foundation of the Skylands. But now, not even his words could change anything.

* * *

The night dragged on. Voodood had shut himself in his bedroom, door locked, refusing to talk to anyone. He was upset about something, though there were too many thoughts going through his mind to pick just one emotion.

Was he sad, like he was every night, about being a failure to his species? To his clan? To the Skylanders?

Was he mad? Mad about how awful Sonic Boom had been? Mad at Eon, even though he had done nothing to deserve it?

Was he worried? Because Ghost Roaster hadn't come up to see him yet. He did that every night to make sure Voodood would get to sleep. Sometimes he stayed through the night, if he was upset about something. Voodood had thought that Ghost would stay here tonight, since he was upset at what Sonic Boom had said.

He hated her so much!

Okay, maybe he _was_ mad at her.

A knock on the door came. Eon's voice came through the other side, shouting, "Voodood, are you awake?"

"Go away!" Voodood shouted from where he sat on the bed. "Voodood not want to talk right now!"

"I'll take that as yes," Eon muttered silently. Again, he shouted, "Something important just happened, and it concerns you."

"Master Eon want to punish Voodood for insulting big bird? Voodood already punish himself! Happy?"

"I'm not punishing you for anything. Come out here. It's about Ghost Roaster."

It was about Ghost Roaster? Then maybe it _was_ important. Voodood got up and walked toward the door. He was just inches away from unlocking the door when he stopped to think. What if Eon was just luring him into a false sense of security?

"No trick?" Voodood asked.

"I would never trick you into doing something you didn't want to do," Eon promised.

Voodood unlocked the door and opened it. There stood Eon, though his face was full of concern. He only ever got that face when something bad happened to one of the Skylanders. Nothing else crossed his mind, then. He could only think about saving the Skylander or getting them back.

"What happen to Ghost Roaster?" Voodood muttered fearfully.

"I'm not sure, yet," Eon began. "But he's nowhere on the premises. Not in the kitchen, not in the training yard, nowhere inside or outside of the Citadel. The Undead Skylanders are currently looking for him as we speak- erm, why don't you come with me and I'll show you what I found?"

Voodood complied. He followed Eon down the hallway, turning back down to the stairs, then making a left down the hallway where Ghost had encountered the chicks earlier that night. They kept walking, and turned right into a room with a large Portal of Power at the center of it. Sonic Boom was currently there as well- oh joy. Voodood and Eon walked toward the Portal, Eon touching its rim once they reached it.

"What did Eon find?" Voodood asked.

"I looked inside my Portal to see if I could find where Ghost had gone," Eon continued. "And I found where he was."

"Where?"

Eon waved his hand over the Portal. A location revealed itself on the Portal's surface- a medium-sized, grassy island.

"Perilous Pastures?" Voodood asked. "But Ghost Roaster does not like sheep."

"I'm sure he's doing his best to avoid them," Eon agreed. "And I linked this Portal to the other Portals in the Citadel- he used one to get there."

"Seclusion is bad for Ghost Roaster."

"I agree, and it seems more serious than just Ghost wanting to be left alone. I think he's trying to run away."

Run away? Ghost Roaster actually wanted to run away? Voodood remembered that the ghoul had harbored doubts about joining the Skylanders- he later admitted his intentions to leave Voodood with them before going on his merry way. That stung a little, but it didn't matter now- they were Skylanders, and they were some of the best Skylanders that anyone had ever seen.

"Sonic Boom, what exactly did you say to Ghost Roaster?" Eon asked.

"Only the truth," Sonic Boom insisted.

"That not truth!" Voodood yelled.

Eon held his hands up to stop another feud. "We really do need to work on your temper, Sonic Boom," he continued. "Ghost Roaster has been tricky to work with. Often he'll fall into slumps like these, and it's hard to get him back to his usual self. Whatever you said to him put him in another slump- worse than the ones we've usually seen him in."

"It sounds like you have a hard time keeping your Skylanders in the Citadel."

"I let them run out if they need it. I can't keep them here all the time- it would hurt them too much. However, if they spend too much time away than they said, or if they're out late like this, that's when I worry. I want you two to go through this Portal to the Perilous Pastures and see why Ghost Roaster traveled out this far. If you can't convince him to come back, let me know and I'll come down there myself."

Voodood was expected to work with that horrible bird? What was Master Eon thinking? If he were in the right mind, Voodood would scream out all of his complaints. But his voice was no longer mighty- nobody would listen to him if he did so. Besides, as the senior Skylander, Voodood would be in charge- Sonic Boom would have to take his orders no matter what.

The two of them hopped onto the Portal and were immediately transported to the Perilous Pastures. This sky was the same one found at the Citadel- the Perilous Pastures weren't too terribly far away from their home. Ghost had probably taken the Portal to keep from bothering anyone. That was sad. He didn't even think to tell anyone of his woes before setting off on this trip.

They had started walking, searching for Ghost Roaster. Voodood suddenly paused, realizing that he had forgotten something. He lifted his hand in the air, shouting, "Axe!" Eon was still standing by the Portal, evident from the axe that was teleported into the air not two seconds after the request was given. The axe fell, and Voodood caught it before it hit the ground.

"Do you have to take that thing everywhere you go?" Sonic Boom sighed. "I've seen you carry that thing into the bathroom with you- please tell me you wash your hands before touching that axe."

Voodood nodded.

"Is that a 'yes, you wash your hands'?"

"And a 'yes, Voodood have to carry axe everywhere'."

"Why must you always have it?"

"Axe Reaver great artifact of Ooga Orcs. Greatest warriors carry axe. Must have it by side of Voodood always."

"Oh yeah, I read that in the Scrolls one time. Didn't you get that dragon skull hat from the same place? Is that a 'great artifact of the Ooga Orcs'?"

Voodood chuckled, shaking his head. "Dragon skull hat great artifact of Voodood!" he insisted.

They walked on. Voodood led Sonic Boom to higher ground, thinking that Ghost might have hidden there. He held onto the axe tightly, keeping the last remaining part of his honor. Recently he wasn't feeling very worthy of the Axe Reaver- nothing he had done had been truly special.

"So Sonic Boom read Scrolls in library," Voodood noted. "What else did big bird read?"

"I also read the Scroll on your friend," Sonic Boom added. "Did he ever tell you that he all but devoured a village of innocent little ghosts? That's rather harsh, isn't it? I've read almost every Skylander Scroll in the library, so I think I know what I'm talking about if it sounds like I'm insulting you people."

"Scrolls not hold everything about Skylanders. Scrolls not hold entire truth."

"But is it true that you actually _fled_ from battle when your entire clan was being wiped out by the Darkness? I think you should've helped to evacuate the island."

Not only did his dreams have to remind him of his failure, but also his fellow comrades in arms?! It was true that Voodood had fled from battle- but only when he realized that the battle was not his to win. He had tried everything in his power to get his clan to listen to him, but they would not do it. Had his voice become weak back then? Had it been too weak even for his clan to listen to?

Voodood stomped ahead of Sonic Boom. They walked up a steep hill, turning left when Voodood noticed a strange green-glowing substance in the grass. Ectoplasm. They continued this way before stopping at a giant grey rock that also had ectoplasm on it. Sitting at the rock was Ghost Roaster, arms hugging his body, head bent down in sorrow.

"This your fault, big bird," Voodood silently hissed toward Sonic Boom. He briskly walked toward Ghost, shouting, "There is Ghost Roaster!"

Ghost lifted his head up and sprinted away from him, hiding behind the rock. "Stay away from me!" he wailed. "Can't you see I want to be alone?"

"Solitude bad for Ghost Roaster," Voodood reminded him. "Bad thoughts fester. Bad feelings grow. Slump gets worse."

"We need to go home, Ghost," Sonic Boom said. "Why don't you pick yourself up so we can go?"

Ghost glared at Sonic Boom. "You brought _her_ along?" he spat with seething venom.

"Not by choice," Voodood insisted.

Ghost kept his gaze on the griffin. "Why don't you just pack your things and fly away from here, huh?" he yelled. "Can't you take the hint? Everyone at the Citadel hates you! Not even Eon can stand your attitude!"

"I'm as much a Skylander as the two of you are!" Sonic Boom yelled. "I don't have to justify my being here!"

Voodood put his hands up to end the quarrel- it seemed to work when Eon did it. "Ghost Roaster, what is problem?" he asked.

"We don't have time for this," Sonic Boom retorted.

"There is no time limit," Voodood told her. To Ghost, he repeated, "What is problem?"

Ghost sniffed. "You don't want to hear my problem," he insisted.

"Voodood want to know how to help."

"You can't help me this time, buddy. I feel like I'm dying. I almost wish I was."

"Voodood want to try."

"There's nothing you can do."

Voodood got an idea in his head- a stupid idea. "Voodood cut of chain of Ghost Roaster!" he decided.

Ghost quickly shook his head, eyes showing great fear. "I've tried it before- nothing good can come from that," he begged.

"Yes, forever chained to a spiky ball," Sonic Boom quoted. "That's what a curse is, Voodood. It's a terrible spell that remains forever. Undead curses are the strongest- I think your friend is a prime example of that."

Voodood's mind was made up. "Axe Reaver strong enough!" he insisted. "Give Voodood chain of Ghost Roaster!"

Sonic Boom pulled the chain toward Voodood, straightening it to its full length. Ghost didn't budge- he was frozen in fear. But Voodood was adamant in this decision. He remembered Ghost saying how much he lamented that chain, how everyone fled in fear when they heard it. The Skylanders had grown used to the rattling, and they even accepted it as part of who he was. Voodood even thought he wouldn't recognize Ghost Roaster without it- but if it made Ghost happy, then this was what was going to happen.

Voodood lifted his axe into the air, swinging it down on the chain as hard as he could. An eruption of magic came forth, the curse on the chain conflicting with the magic embued in the Axe Reaver. Sparks bounced off both, battling each other in a ferocious display of power. The strong forces stirred the wind, knocking everyone back. Voodood was forced on the ground, hitting the back of his head and watching everything go dark afterward.

* * *

"Voodood, are you alright?" Sonic Boom asked when the orc came to. "You took quite a hit."

Voodood didn't answer her immediately. He just laid on the ground where he was, hating himself. The Axe Reaver was the most powerful relic of his clan. How had it failed to break the chain off of Ghost Roaster? Maybe Voodood had proven far too unworthy to wield it? He certainly wasn't the best orc warrior there ever was anymore. He had fallen far from grace, and there was no coming back.

"Where is Ghost Roaster?" Voodood mumbled when he decided to sit up. His head felt dizzy as he did so.

"I'm not sure. He was gone when I woke up."

"Big bird not go after him?!"

"Well I was more concerned with the unconscious orc in the area. I almost thought you were dead."

"Sonic Boom would have liked that, right?"

"Absolutely not. I would only wish a curse like that on my enemies, and I wish us to be allies."

"Not from way Sonic Boom talk to Voodood."

Sonic Boom looked at the sky, a few drops of rain falling down. Voodood looked up as well, noticing that dark clouds had gathered in the sky. They were visibly seen, indicating that the day might have come. How long was Voodood out? Nevertheless, they had to find Ghost Roaster soon, in case a storm came upon them.

"That curse was way more nasty than I thought," Sonic Boom admitted. "Some powerful magic went into that chain. It might have hurt you more, since you were holding onto the axe during the collision. I think we should head back to the Citadel and let Eon know what has happened so he can come get Ghost back."

Voodood stood up. He became aware that he still held the axe- Voodood slammed it into the ground, the edge firmly in the dirt and keeping it from falling. He stomped away, trying to make distance from him and the axe. Let it rust there for all time as a relic of a dead clan- he was certainly not worthy to wield it.

"Um, your axe?" Sonic Boom noticed, running behind Voodood.

"Do not call Master Eon," Voodood commanded her. "Voodood did not try hard enough to talk to Ghost Roaster. Voodood should have prevented conflict by talking to Ghost Roaster when Sonic Boom said awful things. All fault of Voodood. Big bird not responsible. Not one bit."

"You're forgetting your axe! Don't you kind of need that for being a great warrior?"

"VOODOOD SHOULD HAVE DIED IN BATTLE THAT DESTROYED CLAN!"

Voodood fell to the ground. There was no stopping the tears. He should have made his voice harder to ignore. He should have herded his clan off the island in order to avoid annihilation. And if not, he should have died with them- orcs never flee from battle. Voodood had been selfish when he fled, saving his own hide when his friends and family were dying. Maybe Ghost almost wished that he was dead, but that wasn't the worst thing to wish upon yourself- Voodood wished himself to be truly dead every time he was reminded of this failure.

"Voodood miss family," he pouted. "All dead thanks to Voodood."

Sonic Boom sat next to him, letting the rain soak her feathers. "It was the Darkness that wiped out your home," she realized. "I doubt there was much you could do to save them. It was wrong of me to accuse you of doing nothing in a situation where there was nothing to be done- if I'd known that before telling you-"

"That is why Sonic Boom must mind tongue."

"I guess you're right,"- she let out a heavy sigh- "He left us, okay? My mate- the father of my chicks. He left us. But he wasn't some kind of 'rogue bird' as you thought he was. It was more than that. We were in love- when I start hating him, I remember that we loved each other more than anyone else in our clan. But when the griffins were being hunted down, and we had to hide in the mountains, my mate fled to save his own feathers, leaving me with the eggs I had just laid. Maybe if he had stayed, we could've worked together to save our chicks from that curse."

No comment. It hurt too much for Voodood to reply.

"But these are just a few of the things that can't be helped, I suppose. My mate's departure hurt me, Voodood. It taught me that the only person I could trust was myself- all I do is hide behind my words when I feel threatened. But we can't help the terrible things that happen to us. We can't help the destruction of our homes, or the curses on our families and our bodies. We can't help that, because we have no control over it. These things happen, and we have no control over keeping them from happening. We just have to learn to live with it, to grow from it, and to change in order to make yourself stronger for the harder times and the better times. Voodood, I don't want to see you destroy yourself because you think you're at fault for what happened that day. You're not at fault. Now go back there and grab that axe- it would be safer with a strong warrior of the Ooga Orcs."

Voodood slowly got up. He didn't know how to grow from it. He didn't know what he was going to do. But he was focused on the current situation at hand. He had to put that battle at the back of his mind for now- there was work to do.

"Voodood need to find Ghost Roaster," Voodood realized. "Voodood know he can help. Big bird stay here. Voodood and Ghost Roaster need to be alone."

Sonic Boom nodded, stepping back. Her scowl had disappeared, replaced by a more somber look. She had almost turned into a decent person. At the very least, Voodood hoped that she was starting to learn how to respect others.

He walked alone, trudging through the growing rain. So far, it was falling steadily, too mild for an actual storm. It might not be long before an actual storm came, however, and so Voodood continued onward. He found a part of the Pastures with a few trees on it, left there for the sheep to jump for the apples. Ghost Roaster was seen at one of the trees, back toward Voodood, sobbing uncontrollably. He didn't seem hurt at all, which was good, but the conflict hadn't yet been resolved.

"Ghost Roaster! Please talk to Voodood!" Voodood pleaded.

Ghost moved behind the tree when Voodood spoke. "Get away from me! I'm not good for you!" he whined. His voice came out hoarse and scratchy- he must have been crying for a while.

"That it?" Voodood asked, flabbergasted that this idea even existed. "Ghost Roaster not bad for Voodood. Where did idea come from?"

The whine turned into a whimper. "I didn't want to say- I knew you wouldn't have liked to hear it."

"It matters not what Voodood likes. Voodood not like seeing friend suffer more than hearing something he not like. Tell Voodood the problem."

A few pouts let themselves go. "Sonic Boom said I was a heinous creature that couldn't understand the devotion of a mother. She said it as if I didn't understand love at all. You heard her yourself."

"Big bird full of hot air, Ghost Roaster."

"That's the misconception about the Undead. I was mortal, once. Most of us were mortal once. We know how to love. I'm pretty sure I still do. But then I thought that I really might be a heinous creature. That I can only bring pain and sorrow to those I'm around. I didn't used to think those things- I'm not sure when it started. I've almost been convinced right, though- me hurting you was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"There were no camels."

"It's an expression, buddy. It means I've taken all I can. I don't know what's going to happen now!"

"Big explosion thingy hurt Voodood. And Voodood fine. No need to worry."

"Get away from me, Voodood. I don't want the same thing to happen again."

"That was fault of Voodood. Voodood was being stupid. Heck, Ghost save Voodood!"

Ghost looked directly at Voodood this time. "You shortened my name...," he gasped.

That had grabbed his attention. Voodood couldn't waste this opportunity, then! "Clan of Voodood destroyed by Darkness- Ghost...is familiar with story," he continued. "Voodood alone for long time. Voodood felt he would die without family. Ghost...came by and found him. We became family. Ghost...not bad for Voodood. More than good for Voodood."

A few more tears fell down Ghost Roaster's face. "I wanted to jump off of the Skylands before I met you," he admitted.

Voodood gasped, his heart nearly stopping. "Voodood...not familiar with this story," he stammered.

"I had gotten the chain attached to me. Everyone fled when they heard it. Nobody wanted to be near me. I thought things would be better if I wasn't around to make everyone angry. This was still on my mind a little while after I found you. But I found you, and you showed me a place that could be my home. You showed me people that were willing to be my family. _You_ saved me. Despite that, I've never felt worthy for the Skylanders."

"Voodood know feeling. But we need Skylanders to show way to worth."- Voodood held his hand out- "Let Voodood save Ghost again. Let us go home, Ghost."

Ghost stepped out from behind the tree. He leapt forward and wrapped Voodood in a hug. The sobbing returned, combined with coughing from his sore throat. Voodood wrapped his arms around him, patting him on the back to comfort him. Everything would be okay. Maybe not for a long while, but they were going to get there.

"...Enjoy the show?" Ghost suddenly mumbled. Voodood released him for a moment, turning around. Sonic Boom had followed him up here, axe in her beak. However long she had been here as they talked, Voodood had no idea. He decided that he didn't care at the moment.

"Thank you, big bird," Voodood said, taking the axe from her beak.

"I'm really sorry," Sonic Boom pouted. "I really do know nothing. And I'm far less worthy of being a Skylander than you two."

"You can join us in Voodood's room sometime," Ghost sniffed, wiping a few tears away as he calmed down. "We could have a good cry session about it when we get back."

A roll of thunder came by, making everyone stiffen where they were. Right, there was still the storm to think about.

"Let's go home now!" Sonic Boom screeched fearfully.

"Agreed!" Voodood and Ghost Roaster shouted.

 **I recently realized a song that would go great with _Secret Agent Secrets._**

 **"We Are Not Alone" by Karla DeVito.**

 **I don't know why, but it's perfect! :)**


	18. Bowser: Long Live The King

**On my birthday, I promised myself something- that I'd finally get Spyrorocks's request done. It's been a long time coming, but here it is.**

 **This chapter's story takes place at around the same timeline as the Spitfire chapter, you should soon notice.**

 **Hammer Slam Bowser joins the brawl!**

 **That's what they say, right?**

 **Hope you like it. :)**

Chapter Eighteen: Long Live The King

The wind whistled through the windows of the Skylanders Academy. The rain splattered hard on the walls, and that too could be heard. A storm had hit the Academy. This storm was a normal storm, but everyone was still frightened.

Most of the refugees had holed up in the library, taking...well, refuge. Bowser had wandered here as well, purely out of boredom than fear. He'd been having trouble sleeping; he thought that the storm would lull him to sleep like they did at home, but alas, it had no effect on him here. Man, did he miss home. He thought that since the Sky Eater was destroyed, he and that ape would be going home. But nope- Bowser and Donkey Kong remained in Skylands for the time being.

Eventually Bowser got irritated by the squabbling about the storm. He shouted, "What are you all worried about? It's just a storm!"

The Dreadwalker known as Nightfall took her seat in the red overstuffed Storyteller's Chair. "You're right," she said with dripping sarcasm. "It's not like high winds can force an island out of the sky. No, it's not like that at all!"

"Lay off him, Nightfall," the purple dragon Spyro insisted. "You know Bowser doesn't fully understand our culture."

Bowser leaned against the wall. "Ahem, that's _King_ Bowser," he spat.

"There are no 'kings' among the Skylanders," Nightfall retorted. "Only friends. You are 'Bowser' to us."

"The King can be your friend."

The Mabu children gathered around the Storyteller's Chair. "Are you going to tell us a story, Miss Nightfall?" one child asked.

Nightfall looked at them, surprised. "I-I can if that will make you feel better about the storm," she guessed.

"Tell the one Trap Shadow made up about 'ze Baron von Shellshock'!" a little girl begged.

"Yeah! That one's the best!" a boy agreed.

Nightfall chuckled. "Alright," she decided. Clearing her throat, she began, "Baron von Shellshock was a horrid creature. He kidnapped innocent civilians, forcing them onto his oil rigs in Motleyville. He fled town when the Skylanders caught wind of his plans. Not wanting to risk capture and imprisonment at Cloudcracker, the Baron escaped to the Outlands, hoping to continue his evildoings there. But angry savages caught the Baron. They tied him to a high pole in the heat of the afternoon sun. The heat baked onto his shell, filling the air with the sweet scent of freshly-caught crab steaming in a Cascade Glade seafood medley. But what was that at the bottom of the pole? Why, hungry spiderlings had gathered there. Lured by the steaming crab, the spiderlings decided on a feast."

The children gasped in awe.

Bowser scoffed. " _That's_ what calls for good storytelling in this place?" he asked.

Spyro shrugged, replying, "Eh, Trap's not the best storyteller."

" _I_ could tell a better story."

Nightfall got up. "Then be my guest," she dared him, motioning to the chair.

Oh man, he didn't _mean_ it! But what kind of king backed down from a challenge? Bowser took his place in the Storyteller's Chair as Nightfall sat with the children. All eyes gathered toward him. Bowser had the floor now.

He cleared his throat and began, "In a faraway land, vastly different than your Skylands, there lived a mighty king-"

"Oh jeez!" someone sighed.

"No interrupting! Ahem, there lived a mighty king who ruled the territory surrounding his enormous castle. The king was a fair king- he did nothing wrong. But the apes living in the jungle thought he was foolish and mean."

"Maybe they had the right idea," Nightfall chuckled.

Bowser glared at her. He continued, "Oh a bright and sunny day- completely opposite of a stormy night- an ape came to the castle to give the king a piece of his mind. The king and the ape argued for a while, and did not at any moment fight using fire, barrels, or flaming barrels."

The children started giggling. Spyro chuckled as well, noting, "If you want to convince us that these things didn't happen, try not bringing the idea into the air."

Well, at least they were enjoying it. Bowser added, "And in the midst of their actions, a blue swirling vortex sucked them in. They were teleported to a different world, one containing a system of floating, magic islands. The king and the ape landed on a jungle island, out of their element, forced to act as allies in an unfamiliar world. In the jungle, the two happened upon ancient relics of a bygone civilization with great power. The relics were Rift Engines, and they had the power to..."

"That had the power to do _what?_ " a little boy asked.

"...Travel through dimensions." That was right. The Rift Engines had the capability to travel through the dimensions. It was the engines in the vehicles that allowed the Superchargers to move through the rifts that the Sky Eater had formed. Bowser and DK were official Superchargers. They could go home!

"Um, wouldn't people be _after_ the Rift Engines if they were so powerful?" Nightfall suggested.

Oh yeah, he was still telling the story! "Yes! Evil people!" Bowser explained. "At that moment, pirates had been looking for the Rift Engines to power their flying ships. They came too late, however. The king and the ape had bonded with the relics, imbued with the power they held. Together, the two of them defeated the pirates and secured the Rift Engines. Eventually a group of protectors found them-"

"The Skylanders!" the children exclaimed happily.

"-and seeing that the two had been brought here for a reason, the Skylanders asked the ape and the king to join them in protecting the universe. You know, like space cops!"

The children clapped, smiles growing on their faces. A flash of light came into the room, followed by a roll of thunder. Everyone except Bowser jumped, though they quickly regained their composure.

"Yeah, that _was_ better," Nightfall decided. "Good enough for a novel."

"Or a comic book!" another little girl insisted.

* * *

Bowser camped in the library with the others that night. The floor was covered in sleeping mats used by the refugees. The only one who wasn't on the ground was Nightfall- she had won the stick drawing for the couch. Bowser had been given a mat to sleep on, and he was comfortable enough, but sleep was still hard to come by. Thoughts of home lingered in his mind, as they had been for the past few weeks. But his his heart fluttered, excited by the idea tha the Rift Engines could take him and DK home! Home, where the land didn't float in the sky, where Bowser's castle stood, and where their friends and family waited for them. It had been too long- now they could go back!

Bowser managed to doze off at some point. He woke up later when he heard loud footsteps pound into the library. Oh great, the ape was up. Donkey Kong ran up the steps, leaping in great bounds, ensuring that everyone was up. It must've been a jungle thing, Bowser figured. DK took the greatest pleasure in rudely awakening everyone in the Academy.

"...And I thought the library was supposed to be quiet," Bowser grumbled, sitting up with a yawn.

DK noticed Bowser's presence and immediately ran to him. The ape muttered strange monkey jibberish- Bowser didn't know what it meant, but body language spoke better than words. DK hovered over him, curious that he was in the library.

"What can I say?" Bowser spat. "I simply spent the night in the library."

DK grinned- with the refugees, no doubt. The ape had that look in his eyes, suggesting that the Skylanders might be growing on Bowser.

"What would make you think of a stupid thing like that? The Skylanders aren't growing on me, idiot."

Well, maybe the Skylanders were growing on him a tiny bit. Like, grain of sand tiny. Bowser simply found it interesting that this multi-species group could get along so well.

Spyro got up from his spot on the floor, stretching with a great yawn. "Hey Bowser, did you sleep okay last night?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Bowser lied.

"That's good. Just let me know if everything is okay, then, if you need anything."

"Why does it matter to you?"

"It matters what you're feeling. We're all on the same team."

Apparently the Skylanders were also concerned with his well-being. Bowser was an alien- they didn't know his intentions, and they still tried to be nice to him. Nobody acted that way in the Mushroom Kingdom where he and DK hailed from. Bowser didn't mind that too much. But there was just something about the Skylanders that Bowser was drawn to.

Everyone started dispersing from the library, off to different parts of the Academy. Bowser decided to make his leave as well. He exited the library and headed down the stairs, DK following behind him. Another yawn escaped his jaws- he didn't get enough sleep last night. They walked down the Main Hall, and Bowser spotted the pink-haired inventor known as Mags. She had built their vehicles. Had she thought about sending them home yet?

DK noticed where Bowser was looking. He nudged him in the shoulder, pointing at Mags and muttering once more. Go on- go tell her!

"Alright, I'll go talk to her," Bowser sighed.

He walked forward, inching toward Mags. His throat suddenly went dry. Bowser didn't want to talk to Mags if he thought his question would embarrass him. A gentle shove from DK forced him onward.

"Ahem, Mags!" Bowser coughed.

Mags noticed the two walking toward her. She smiled, walking up to them. "G'mornin' boys!" she greeted them. "How are y'all feeling?"

"We're good," Bowser continued. "Actually, I was wondering if you had figured out how to send us home."

Mags' demeanor changed, becoming shameful. "Hot buttered toast, I'm sorry," she sighed. "Everything's been so hectic, dealin' with the aftermath of the Sky Eater and all. I haven't had time to think of a solution to _your_ problem."

"I get it. I actually came up with an idea last night- could the Rift Engines get us home?"

"Huh. Maybe. I'd have to look into it."

"Take all the time you need."

"And I guess we'll have to keep ya busy in the meanwhile. Say Bowser, Spitfire's not up yet. Do ya mind runnin' the training sessions this morning?"

"Not at all!"

DK huffed, glaring at Mags.

"Because _I'm_ the king, that's why!" Bowser retorted to the ape.

"I have to go," Mags said. "Fix the stove in the kitchen. See ya on the training ground."

"Yeah, take care," Bowser replied.

Mags left, turning toward the kitchen. DK stomped his foot on the ground indignantly. He was still miffed about Bowser being chosen over him. Why didn't anyone ever trust apes?

"Sorry, pal," Bowser shrugged.

DK made a motion with his hand that simulated the knocking on a door. Spitfire's dorm room had been locked, keeping everyone out.

"Wasn't he out in the rain last night? I wouldn't be surprised if the kid turned to cinders."

A shrill gasp came forward.

"Hey, I'm not wishing it on him! Just let Spitfire sleep, and he'll be fine."

Another yawn escaped his jaws. DK tapped Bowser's nose, staring at his eyes.

"Personal space!"- Bowser shoved the ape away- "And yes, I do miss home. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. Don't _you_ miss home?"

Nod.

"I guess we finally have something in common, then."

Though it wasn't precisely homesickness that plagued Bowser with insomnia. It was the wonder of what _not_ being at home meant. Bowser felt that he was losing himself to Skylands, bit by bit, as these heroes lured him closer and closer into their ideals. DK wouldn't understand that. He'd remained himself through this entire journey.

They traveled out of the Academy's interior, moving to the corner where the training ground was. The shiny red Greeble dispenser seemed to sparkle in the early morning sun, especially with water still glistening on it. That alone was a call to adventure and excitement. A few Superchargers had gathered in the center- Splat, Fiesta, Stormblade and Nightfall. Most everyone else had been dispersed into Skylands, working with the other Skylanders on reconstruction efforts.

"Alright, how's everybody doing, this morning?" Bowser announced.

"Dreadful," Stormblade sighed.

"Hey, don't be like that. Everything's fine- that storm was nothing to worry about. Is everyone ready for training?"

"Pretty much," Nightfall shrugged.

Bowser took a spot on the level slightly above them. "Then let's begin," he decided. "Fiesta, you can go first. Why don't we test your weird horn doohickey?"

"Hey, why does Fiesta get to go first?" Splat huffed. "Whatever happened to ladies first? Especially since we outnumber him three to one? Or two to one, what with DK here?"

"Unless you're going to join in the training, Bowser," Nightfall reminded them.

Bowser stifled another yawn, his eyes suddenly feeling heavy. "I'm just here to oversee training," he insisted. "I won't be joining in. As king-"

"Got tired when Wham-Shell boasted to us about it, and it's still tired when you boast about it," Splat insisted.

"Fine! You want to go first, you can go first!"

Everyone stepped back, allowing Splat her space to practice. She moved up to the Greeble Dispenser and turned the crank, spitting out three strange yellow vermin. Their only weapons of defense were squeaky hammers, meant to keep the kids in training safe. How silly. If these kids were going to learn anything, Bowser thought he should find his Koopa soldiers to show them a thing or two.

"Are you alright, Senor Bowser?" Fiesta asked. "You're not looking so hot."

The heavy feeling in his eyes wasn't going away. "I'm fine," Bowser lied. "You kids should worry about yourselves."

The crowd dispersed as Splat tossed a Greeble in their direction. The Greeble, regaining its senses, charged at the Superchargers standing by. DK hit it with a haymaker, sending the vile creature toward the vacuum that took the Greebles back into the dispenser. The other two Greebles followed suit, Splat defeating them with ease.

"Sorry about that," Splat said, cringing.

"Nice reflexes on DK's part, though," Stormblade noted.

DK stood tall, flexing an arm muscle, charmed by the lark's compliment.

" _Now_ we should let Fiesta have a go," Bowser insisted.

Splat moved to the back, and Fiesta took the center. He turned the crank on the Greeble Dispenser, spitting out one yellow creature.

"You always fight only one Greeble during training," Bowser realized. "Get out of your comfort zone. At least bring it up to two- then you'll learn something."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Splat agreed. "C'mon, Fi, it'll be a good change of pace!"

Splat, Nightfall and DK began egging the skeletal man on. Stormblade, the one usually excited by these prospects, did not join in. Bowser noticed that she seemed uncharacteristically wistful, simply staring out as the others trained. She couldn't be worried about the storm, right? Unless she was worried about Spitfire like DK was.

Why was Bowser worrying about her?

Eventually, as the chanting from the three Superchargers became louder and more incessant, Fiesta was inspired to turn the crank again and spit out one more Greeble. The fight began, with Fiesta evading the moves brought forth by the angry Greebles. He hit them with fancy musical notes that hurt them- Bowser wasn't sure how that worked. To be honest, his attention had started going away as the training session continued. He just wasn't…into watching the kids fight.

Toward the middle of Fiesta's session, Bowser did notice Stormblade move away from the crowd of Superchargers. Apparently her heart wasn't into this either- but she couldn't just get up while someone else was in the middle of a session. One could get hurt that way.

"Get back here, birdy!" Bowser shouted, leaving his spot to chase after her.

Stormblade noticed him, and picked up her pace. Bowser should've thought to stay where he was, not wanting anyone to crash into each other. Of course, he couldn't quite think straight, and with some strange thought, decided to chase after her. Fiesta was in the middle of evading a Greeble, side-stepping in the similar fashion to a dance, when he collided into Bowser as the giant reptile gained his stride. Their foreheads knocked into each other, and they both tumbled in some awkward fashion.

"Oh no! Are you two okay?!" Splat gasped.

Fiesta picked himself up almost right away, showing that he hadn't been hurt. Bowser wasn't so quick. His head swam, vision slightly blurry. He shook this out and tried getting up- but this hurt. The way he'd fallen had caused his knee to get jarred. It didn't feel broken, but it also hurt too much to move. Everyone noticed his distress, though DK was the one who ran to his side to help him up. The ape glared at him with fire, aware that Bowser had somehow tried to keep this slip up as unobtrusive as possible.

"I'm so sorry!" Fiesta cried. "I was looking out for the Greebles- I didn't even see you!"

"It was my fault," Bowser promised him. "Just get someone to go after Stormblade."

Splat was the one to do it, running away from the training ground. Nightfall kept the annoying Greebles away from them, sending them back into the Greeble Dispenser, before checking up on Bowser.

"Where are you hurt?" Nightfall asked.

Bowser pointed to his knee. Nightfall touched it, a smiling look entering her eyes.

"Ooh, dislocated. Haven't seen a wound like that in a while," Nightfall mused. "Set him down, DK. I've done this before. I promise, this won't hurt a bit.

DK complied, helping Bowser sit on the ground. Nightfall gripped two parts of his leg, specifically where his kneecap had been moved out of place. She forcefully shoved it back in the proper position. Bowser cried out, feeling a sensation of fire move throughout his leg. It went away slowly, apparently having been set right. DK noticed Bowser's distress, pounding on the ground angrily toward Nightfall.

"You said it wouldn't hurt!" Bowser yelled at her.

"I lied," Nightfall admitted. "But how else would you cooperate?"

No comment.

"It wouldn't hurt to take you to the sick bay, though."

* * *

It turned out that Bowser's leg would indeed heal properly, though he was left with a slight limp. He remained in the sick bay for a short while, however, as he wanted to make sure everything was indeed okay. He dozed on a cot for a half hour, waking when he felt a hot banana breath on his forehead- DK.

"Do you mind not standing around this close to me while I sleep?" Bowser asked. "It's really creepy."

DK crossed his arms with an over-exaggerated frown, trying his best to be mad at him. But the only emotion that came across to Bowser was sadness. What was he going through? Why did he not want to let anyone know that he was having problems?

"This isn't my home," Bowser griped. "I don't want it to be my home. We can't stay here forever- we _won't._ I know we won't. There's no point forging bonds with people we'll have to say goodbye to."

DK's eyes welled up.

"At least we _can_ say goodbye to these people. Our friends and family back home don't even know what happened to us or why we left. Isn't that concerning to you?"

DK wrapped him in a hug, letting out heavy pouts- apparently he was more homesick than he'd appeared. Bowser hugged back, resisting his own urge to cry. They were together through this, that much was certain. For now, they were stuck with each other- and Bowser didn't mind it.

"Though I am concerned about these people, though I don't know why," Bowser admitted with a sigh. "I haven't felt like myself in weeks. What am I, if I'm not a king?"

"A Skylander," a voice insisted. "And a friend."

Bowser turned toward the entrance to the sick bay, noticing that Nightfall and Fiesta had come in. For some reason, they hadn't announced their presence. So they definitely heard Bowser's chat with DK. He wasn't sure whether to feel mad or relieved.

"There's nothing wrong with change," Nightfall continued. "Everyone changes. Nobody remains the same forever. And there's nothing wrong with caring for people you know you have to say goodbye to."

"At least promise to stick around for a while," Fiesta asked meekly. "You know, to help with reconstruction efforts."

DK released himself from Bowser, nodding excitedly.

"Have you guys talked to Stormblade yet?" Bowser asked.

"She's upset about last night," Fiesta explained. "She got into an argument with Spitfire, and now she realizes how hateful she must've sounded to him. We kind of forced her to come outside with us- Stormblade wasn't interested in doing anything today. She and Splat are going to try and talk to Spitfire, and I was going to accompany them."

"But first, he wanted me to check on you," Nightfall explained. "And… 'apologize' for hurting you."

"Hey, you got my knee back in place," Bowser shrugged. "I'm fine now. For real, this time. Oh, Fiesta, maybe you three should go easy on Spitfire. He might be a little worse for wear from last night's storm."

Fiesta nodded, promising, "I'll keep it in mind."

 **I think a few things changed from the original request, but for the most part, I think I did okay.**

 **Nightfall's story at the beginning of the chapter was semi-inspired by a story told in an episode of _Malcolm in the Middle._**

 **And Bowser and DK belong to Nintendo. Who've made a deal with Activision to produce Sky-miibos. It's really complicated.**


	19. Thumpback: The Worst Feeling (pt 1)

**Here's an experiment I'm trying out. A two-parter, as I work on a slightly more complicated tale from the perspective of two characters. Eye-Brawl's story will be the second part to this.**

Chapter Nineteen: The Worst Feeling (Part 1)

 _"Thumpback! Man the cannons!"_

 _He really didn't want to. The flying eyeball had done nothing wrong. The only thing the flying eyeball had done was flown too close to their ship. But Thumpback had his orders. Lest he be thrown off the ship, Thumpback had to follow through._

 _The whale behemoth grabbed the cannons. He turned them toward the flying eyeball, and fired, watching the poor creature's wings get ripped off-_

"Thumpback, aren't you even listening?!"

Thumpback snapped back to reality. Right, he was no longer on the ship. He was in a forest, with a few other Giants known as Tree Rex, Bouncer and Eye-Brawl. Eye-Brawl had been talking to him about something, but his mind had wandered to different places. That was a bad habit of his.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" Thumpback asked meekly.

The winged eyeball shook where he sat on the headless giant. (Acting as the headless giant's head.) Eye-Brawl was often miffed by Thumpback's scatterbrained manner. "We were going over the plan on destroying the Arkeyan factory near here."

"Oh right! Isn't that fairly simple? Just come in and stomp the place flat?"

"There's more to it than that. We can't just go in guns blazing all the time."

"It's worked for us so far."

"Well it won't work this time. The factory is far too big- bigger than we are. We need to sneak in unnoticed, and tear the place apart from the inside."

"Ooh! That sounds cool. We could be spies!"

Bouncer slammed a fist on the ground from where he sat, looking up from the map he studied. "Yeah, spies," he spat. "Spies who can go in disguise and tear the place apart from the inside. Something we can't do."

"You could do it," Tree Rex suggested. "Maybe these Arkeyans haven't caught on that you're a turncoat, yet."

"Trust me, they have. By now, every Arkeyan site in Skylands has been informed of the traitor. They've probably rigged the larger factories to ensure that nobody with my design and code can get in. The second I even walk inside, I'm dead."

"So, not spies?" Thumpback said.

"Not spies," Bouncer explained. "Just guys sneaking into a place to destroy it, unseen and unknown."

"The factory has a few known entrances," Tree Rex continued. "If Bouncer can't go in, the three of us can. Go in undetected, and we'll know what to do then."

Thumpback shook his head. "Maybe you and Eye-Brawl should be the only ones in there," he suggested. "I just know I'll screw something up if I'm the one going in there."

"The factory's too big to take down with just two of us going in there," Eye-Brawl insisted. "We need you, Thumpback."

 _We need you Thumpback._ Biggest lie he was ever told.

The Giants continued arguing about the best way to go about pulling off that plan. The arguing continued for hours, and soon the sun was setting. Having reached no fitting conclusion, the Giants walked farther into the woods, away from the factory, and decided to camp out for the night and sleep on some ideas. Thumpback, finding that he was unable to sleep, agreed to take the first watch in case Arkeyans ambushed them in the middle of the night. His mind was restless, thinking about that poor flying eyeball from several years back. He very much resembled Eye-Brawl, though Eye-Brawl was much, much bigger.

After a while, Thumpback heard the sound of flapping wings- Eye-Brawl had stirred, flying off the headless giant. He flew next to Thumpback, hovering in the air. He looked...well, at Thumpback. The only way flying eyeballs could convey emotion was with the moving of their pupil.

"You can get some sleep now, Thumpback," Eye-Brawl yawned. "I'll take the next watch."

"No, I'm fine," Thumpback insisted. "I can keep watch."

"You can't just stay up all night."

"Sure I can. I've stayed up much later when I was on a ship."

"Okay, what's the matter? You seem upset about something."

Thumpback was afraid to say. What if he was cast out if they knew he had done something so terrible? He knew Tree Rex didn't like people simply killing, even if they didn't mean to do it. But...Thumpback couldn't simply bury it inside forever. Not as long as he was hanging out with these Giants. And considering the victim of that crime, Eye-Brawl was the best person to talk about this with.

"I was just thinking about the things I did while I was a pirate," Thumpback sighed. "I did terrible things that I'm racked with guilt over."

"What did you do?"

"I...I didn't want to do those things, though. Our captain was a madman. If I didn't do what he wanted, he would've...well...I don't know, but it wouldn't have been good. My life might've been on the line."

"Well, if you feared for your life, maybe you were justified slightly. You didn't want to do it. Now what was something that you did that was so terrible?"

No, he was in too deep now. "It's okay, actually," Thumpback insisted. "I mean, it doesn't matter, right?"

"What is it?"

"Oh, um...well, there was this one time when a flying eyeball that flew near the ship. The captain asked me to...to fire the cannons on him."

Eye-Brawl's pupil shrank back, showing his fear. "Wait, what kind of flying eyeball?" he stammered. "Was his iris green?"

No comment.

"You know, the thing that circles around the pupil? The pupil, that-"

"I know what the iris is."

"Well, was his iris green?"

"Y-yes."

"And was he small?"

"Fairly."

His demeanor changed drastically. "I think that was my brother Dive-Clops," Eye-Brawl said.

No comment.

"He was always impetuous. I wouldn't put it past him to fly toward a pirate ship. But...what happened to him...that wasn't his fault."

No comment.

"It was yours."

Thumpback stepped backward. "You said I was justified," he stammered.

"I didn't know how bad it was! You're a monster! You KILLED MY BROTHER!"

No comment.

"Get some sleep. We'll wake you in the morning to discuss our plan."

Eye-Brawl flew toward the headless giant, abandoning Thumpback. There was no doubt that he would tell everyone the atrocious thing that had happened that day. What was worse was that Eye-Brawl knew Thumpback had done more than just that one horrible action. Thumpback should've just kept his mouth shut. Telling his woes hadn't made him feel better. If anything, he felt much, much worse.

Thumpback started walking away from them. He didn't want to be seen, and he didn't want any company. He walked for a while, his thoughts continuing to run rampant, convincing him that he was indeed a monster. Thumpback walked until he realized he had moved far away from where the Giants had camped. Trees towered around him, and he was aware that he was lost.

The most he could do in order to find them was stay still until sunrise, when the Giants went to look for him.

So Thumpback continued walking. Guilt burned at his heart. He hadn't known that the flying eyeball had family. He'd taken him away from Eye-Brawl. Now Eye-Brawl hated him with a passion. And once he told the others, they would hate him, too.

He walked for hours, only stopping when his feet began to ache. He'd reached the edge of the forest, toward the clearing where the factory had been set up. Thumpback stared at the factory, deciding to destroy it on his own. It wouldn't make up for killing Eye-Brawl's brother, but he could prove to the universe that he was better than the monster he was.

Running up to the factory, anchor swinging behind him, Thumpback readied to topple the factory. As he got closer, however, he slowed down. The factory really _was_ bigger than the Giants. It towered several feet in the air. There was no way he could do this. A few guards ran out of the entrance once they saw him, threatened by his presence. Thumpback stopped in his place, watching as robots flooded out in great swarms, outnumbering him by more than the trees in the forest. They attacked him, using his chain to bind him. One of the guards stabbed something into his ankle, like a giant needle- a sedative- and it didn't take much for Thumpback to tip over after that.

* * *

 _Thumpback found himself on a beach, far, far away from his ship. His head ached, and his stomach sloshed around with water. He'd been unconscious for a while, he realized, but couldn't be sure of how long he had been in that state._

 _The first fact that occurred to him was that he had lost his catch. Thumpback enjoyed fishing more than pirating. It was calm and soothing, and it felt far more rewarding than the dirty work that the captain made him do. And on one particular day, almost a week after the incident with the flying eyeball, he spotted a grand catch. A Leviathan Cloud Crab- legend had it that those creatures held untapped magic. Maybe if Thumpback caught it and presented it to the captain, things would be better. The captain wouldn't be as harsh on the rest of the crew, or torture Thumpback with awful magic._

 _He'd failed spectacularly, as evidenced by his presence on the beach. Everyone was simply bound to laugh at him now._

 _The second fact that occurred to him was that he was not alone. Thumpback saw someone out of the corner of his eye. It was a giant wooden creature. He had to have been one of the Giants, "Skylanders," that were trying to take on the Arkeyans. The captain had said that it was a fool's errand, though Thumpback heard him silently admit that their success might save the ship from imprisonment. With that idea in mind, and not liking the Arkeyans very much himself, Thumpback decided that he liked the wooden Giant._

 _Thumpback struggled to get up. The water in his belly made this action very uncomfortable. He took in a breath, bringing the water up, and expelling the water from his blowhole in a fantastic spray. Some drops touched the Giant, who recoiled in shock, but didn't seem angry. Thumpback stood up to his full height now, able to think more clearly without the sloshing distraction._

 _"That was awesome!" the Giant smiled. "Do it again!"_

 _He said this in a very childlike manner, as if he'd never seen or heard of a whale before. Though it was also very possible that he hadn't. Thumpback trudged a little ways back into the sea, scooping water into his mouth. He sprayed this stuff out like he had before._

 _"How do you shoot the water out of your brain like that?" the Giant asked._

 _"Oh, it's not through my brain," Thumpback explained, bending his head down for the Giant to see. "That would hurt. No, I have a blowhole that shoots water out when I need to get it out. Just through my head, not my brain."_

 _"That still sounds like it should hurt."_

 _"It doesn't. I guess it's hard to explain, but this is how whales and whale behemoths work."_

 _"Whale?"_

 _Oh, so he hadn't heard of whales before. "My name's Thumpback," Thumpback introduced himself._

 _"I'm Tree Rex," the Giant replied._

 _The third fact that suddenly occurred to Thumpback was that he was thousands of miles away from his ship. The exact distance couldn't be measured, but he definitely had no idea where the ship was._

 _And the fourth and final fact that occurred to Thumpback was that he was glad he couldn't find the ship. He'd hated every day on that ship. The only reason he got aboard in the first place was because he thought he could get bigger catches of fish. The tortures and beatings he had been forced to give to other workers, and the ones the captain had put on him, were not worth it. The only reason he stayed was because they'd told him he was needed. But that had also been a lie- there was nothing he could do on that ship that nobody else could do, and they'd all treated him like a bilge rat regardless._

 _"You're a Giant, aren't you?" Thumpback asked._

 _Tree Rex stepped back, becoming worried. "Why do you ask?" he stammered._

 _"Can I come with you? I can help you guys take on the Arkeyans. But...But I only ask because, well...I don't know who else to turn to."_

 _Tree Rex lightened up, walking back to Thumpback and setting his arm over his shoulders. "We're always looking for people who can help us," he decided. "Besides, it's not like the rest of us have anyone else to turn to, either."_

The Giants trusted him.

And Thumpback had basically turned himself in to the enemy. How useless was he?

And the guilt had gotten much worse. He'd left them, and he was now available for the Arkeyans to use in hurting them.

* * *

He was put in a cell that held another Giant, though it was someone Thumpback had never seen before. The Giant very much resembled a wasp. He would've thought that this _was_ a wasp, one of a very, very immense size, but such a thing had to be impossible. While Thumpback had some freedom to move around the cell, shackled by a magic-imbued chain on his foot, the wasp was stuck on the wall. That had to be very uncomfortable.

It took very little time for Thumpback to figure out what they did at this factory. From his cell window, he saw worker robots moving large pallets around, the pallets holding strange chemicals. More often than not, he saw them carry a poor critter in a cage, the same kind of critter coming back either disfigured or dead. The largest productivity of the Arkeyans' labors here came from the soldiers they had. The soldiers wore blue-and-yellow armor, as opposed to the normal red-and-yellow, and their limbs appeared to be made of bones. Many soldiers looked different than this set, infused with Tech and some kind of other strange Element.

Why, this wasn't a factory at all.

It was a laboratory.

Thumpback suddenly felt his chain pull into the wall, forcing him to stand there. A large Arkeyan robot lacking heavy weapons, for he was a scientist, opened the cell door and walked inside. He poked a needle into the wasp's arm, extracting a blood sample. The wasp, heavily sedated, did not move. The robot also set a pale of water at Thumpback's feet. Gross, stagnant water. But it wasn't as if Thumpback could ask for something better- lest he be chained to the wall in the same manner as the wasp was.

"We might need to gain samples of the magic inside of you, ugly beast," the robot told Thumpback.

"What magic do _I_ even have?" Thumpback wondered silently.

The robot glared at him with cold, unfeeling eyes, before leaving the room.

The chain was pushed out of the wall by some omnipotent force, allowing Thumpback mostly free reign through the cell once more. The chain sparkled with some kind of strange energy, presenting itself in the form of water magic. That was the special property imbued inside of it- it could harm the person connected to the chain with magic from their element, bringing them unimaginable suffering. Thumpback had seen this before on the ship he used to work at. His captain had tortured many privateers with that kind of magic until they complied to his orders- Thumpback himself had been on the receiving end of that punishment at least a few times. He was not getting out right now.

But the chains holding the wasp to the wall did not sparkle in the same way. The chains held no magic, instead being regular chains. The Arkeyans weren't worried about the wasp escaping. Maybe he could be the key to destroying this laboratory. Thumpback walked over to the wasp, slapping his face to get his attention.

"Hey, wake up!" Thumpback hissed. "I need your cooperation."

The wasp's eyes fluttered open and closed. "S...Stop it, Dax," he slurred drowsily. "I'm not f...feeling well."

It occurred to Thumpback that the wasp must've been in this state for days- he'd probably never noticed the Arkeyans lock up Thumpback in the same cell as him. "Please! This benefits you too!"

The wasp's eyes fully opened, bloodshot, and he struggled lifting his head to meet Thumpback's. He focused his gaze on Thumpback, realizing that the whale behemoth was in fact not the "Dax" person he was thinking of. "...I'm not at home, am I?" he gasped.

"I'm sorry," Thumpback sighed. "But I'm on a secret mission, and if you help me, you'll be able to go free. I promise."

The wasp stifled sobs. "Right- we're stuck with those 'Arkeyan' monsters," he choked. "They captured me weeks ago. They tortured me when they thought I was working with the defector. I had been on 'the chopping block' when I finally convinced them that I wasn't. They realized they might find some kind of magic in me, and I was brought here. It's just been a blur since then. You can't understand the pain I've been through."

"I can only imagine. I'm so sorry."

"Don't say you can help me unless you mean it!"

"I do."

Thumpback looked out the window, noticing some worker bots walk by. These were simple drones, ones that Bouncer had once described as being 'unintelligent.' They were carrying a pallet with pails of water on it- clean water! An idea came into Thumpback's head as he saw that. A way that would destroy the laboratory and free everyone here.

"Hey kid, are you thirsty?" he whispered.

"...So thirsty...," the wasp mumbled, dozing off once more.

Thumpback pounded on the door, hailing the drones over to their cell. The drones abandoned the pallet and ran over, irritation on their faces.

"Hey guys, can you get us some of that water over there?" Thumpback asked.

"We were informed that the whale behemoth prisoner had already gotten his daily ration of water," a drone said.

"Not for me, for him."- Thumpback motioned toward the wasp.

The drones looked at each other. "Subject 234 is not to be getting sustenance at this time," they said simultaneously. "He would get strong and wily, and would fight against the unarmed Arkeyans in no time flat. He is sedated, so he is tame."

"Why have the top scientists been taking blood samples from him?"

"Extracting the magic that lies within," the other drone explained. "Testing it to find a way to grow other organics to his size."

"How many successes?"

No comment.

"Is that so?"

Nod.

"You see, cuz I was thinking that you might get a healthier blood sample if 'Subject 234' wasn't this drugged and starved. Let the sedatives pass through his system, get him some nutrients, and take new samples and see if those make a difference. Pass that idea to your bosses and get them interested, okay?"

"We cannot do that. It is not in our power."

"I guess not. Maybe you're not even allowed to heed my idea. I mean, I'm a simple prisoner, not even a scientist, but understanding how many times you've failed, again and again, doing nothing to change the formula, I think you should consider my idea."

The drones looked at each other again. One of them ran to the pallet, grabbing a pail of water and passing it to Thumpback for him to take- Thumpback took it graciously. "In order for your idea to work, Subject 234 would need to cooperate with our bosses," it reminded him.

"You don't need to worry about that," Thumpback insisted. "I'll give it to him straight."

The drones went back to the pallet and carried it away. Thumpback looked at the water in this new pail, smiling because he could actually see the bottom of the pail through the water. He carried it to the wasp, waking him up and helping him drink.

"Does that feel better?" he asked.

The wasp nodded.

"We'll have to wait a while to see if my idea got across to the big heads-"

"You mean you're already working on your plan?"

"Yup. I told a few drones that they might get a better sample from you if you got your strength back. But what they won't be expecting is for you to launch out at just the right moment and tear this place apart from the inside."

"They'll just tie me up with a new chain. One imbued with magic...like yours, it looks like."

"So attack when they transition you to the new chains. But you have to follow my command. Don't do anything unless I tell you to, got it?"

Nod.

"What's your name? I'm not going to refer to you as that dumb Subject Whatsit."

"S...Swarm."

"I'm Thumpback."

"That's a real f...funny name."

"I know."

The wasp, Swarm, closed his eyes again. Thumpback patted him on the head. "Just hang tight, kid," he cooed. "I promise you'll get out of here, if it's the last thing I do with my horrible existence."

* * *

"You're working with the Giants, aren't you?"

Thumpback roused from sleep, Swarm's voice cutting through the air. A few days had gone by, and for once, Swarm was awake. Thumpback's idea really had gotten through to the big heads, and they were feeding Swarm as much as they were him. While Thumpback was grateful for that, he was worried. Maybe they understood what he was planning, and had another ace up their sleeve? They could always knock out the wasp if worse came to worse. He hadn't thought of that.

"Where does that idea come from, kid?" Thumpback yawned, slightly miffed to have been taken from the only real sleep he'd gotten in almost a week.

"Certainly you've been hearing rumors circulating around the workers coming by here?" Swarm persisted. "About Giants poking their noses at this laboratory?"

Nod.

"And you said you were on a 'secret mission'. Only a Giant would dare set foot in this heck-hole."

"Would it matter if I was?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just wondering if you know the defector that these Arkeyans hate so much."

"You mean the guy they tortured you about?"

"Yeah, him. I was thinking that if I ever got out, I would stick it to the Arkeyans, you know, make them hurt the way they've made others like me hurt. Get back at them. Though I wouldn't want to work with the defector. They almost didn't believe that I wasn't working for him, so I can't simply turn around and work for him once I leave."

"That makes sense. You don't have to overthink it, Swarm."

"But it's much more complicated than that. I guess...I might want to look for him. I mean, if he can help me achieve my goal. Is it worth it? Is he worth working for?"

Thumpback wasn't the right person to say. By now, Eye-Brawl had told Bouncer and Tree-Rex that he'd killed his brother way back when. They would hate him. He wasn't one of their friends anymore. He was far from being a Skylander. But still...

"Yeah, he is," Thumpback admitted.

Swarm nodded. "So when they come, I guess I'll-"

"Don't look for them. When you tear this place apart, fly away from here as fast as you can. Make some good distance away from here- that's your best bet at freedom. The Giants will know who was responsible for this, and they'll come looking for you once the smoke clears."

"That's not a bad idea. I really need you for those."

 _I need you, Thumpback._ The one time when it wasn't a lie. But it hardly mattered now- nobody needed a monster. "Don't look for me, either," he insisted. "You'll be safer on your own, for a while. When the smoke clears, maybe then it will be better."

Swarm nodded, slightly disappointed at hearing that.

The chain pulled back into the wall, and Thumpback was forced toward it. (But he was already there on his own accord, as he had been sleeping in the corner.) Thumpback shook his head at Swarm, their code for "stay still." The door opened, and the same robot from before walked in. This time he held a chain in his hand, one with the same properties that held Thumpback here. Swarm looked at Thumpback, unsure of what to do. Thumpback shook his head again.

"Subject 234, you're looking lively," the robot said callously. "Feeling better, I assume?"

Swarm nodded meekly.

"Can I hear your answer? Say 'yes' to me."

"...Yes."

"Very good. Unlike the rest of us here, I don't trust that you can cooperate with us. I hardly trust the whale behemoth,"- the robot turned toward Thumpback- "as he is fairly a simpleton. I think he wants to ruin us."

"But I'm not smart enough for that," Thumpback insisted.

"In any case, we've been given the information we have to go on. While Giants are trying to squash our empire, they're rather dispersed. If one of them destroys a factory, we can build it up larger than it was before. They can't hope to destroy our glorious empire."

"What about the ones that _are_ together?"

"You mean the 'Skylanders'? They're concerning, but that concern is minimal. With only three of them together, they can't possibly defeat us. Especially after we deliver the sedatives to the rest of the empire from here. You know, the ones that kept you both under so well?"

This guy only knew of three Giants working together? Thumpback had only spent a short time with Bouncer, Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl. The Arkeyans didn't know of the whale behemoth's involvement. He hadn't ruined the Giants yet.

"Why are you telling us these things?" Swarm asked. "Wouldn't you be concerned if either one of us managed to escape?"

The robot turned back toward Swarm, brandishing the syringe toward his face. "It's not like you can do much about it, is there?" he gloated. "Our magic surpasses your strange genes. And we have methods to keep you in line should your little deal with the whale behemoth turn sour. The pain you suffered before being brought here would feel like bliss compared to the pain we would show you if you dared to fight us again."

Thumpback noticed Swarm look sweaty. This was not a good option for them. _Stay strong,_ Thumpback prayed. _We're almost through this._

"But I've wasted enough time here as it is," the robot shrugged, moving the syringe away. "We have more important things to do- like replace your chains and extract a blood sample. Are you willing to cooperate, Subject 234?"

"Yes."

The syringe was set down for a moment. The robot unlocked the chain restricting Swarm's arm, taking great care that he wouldn't get out despite the wasp's promise. Swarm glanced at Thumpback once more, hoping for a signal. Thumpback couldn't give him one. He wasn't sure where to go at this point.

While the robot undid Swarm's chains, several guards ran by the cell. There seemed to be a whole fleet of them running by. What kind of commotion could that be? Maybe the Giants? Thumpback hoped not- they couldn't know of the things these Arkeyans had prepared for them. However, this commotion now opened up an opportunity for them.

And so, Thumpback nodded at Swarm, their code for, "Go get them!"

Swarm didn't hold back. He delivered an uppercut straight on the robot's chin, shoving himself off the wall and breaking the remaining chains. "My name is Swarm!" he shouted. "Tell that to your superiors when word gets out about this lab's destruction!"

"You little pest!" the robot yelled. Something clicked inside one of his arms, and from an opening on his wrist, another syringe came out. This one had a strange black-purple liquid in it- the sedative. The robot prepared to launch himself at Swarm-

But Thumpback grabbed his feet, pulling him to the ground. "Go!" he yelled at Swarm. "You know what to do, now go!"

Swarm nodded, busting the door down and laying his own path of destruction. They wouldn't see each other again until much later.

Thumpback had his own tussle with the robot. They wrestled, with Thumpback successfully tossing the syringe away without getting hit. The ground shook quite a bit after a while- the Giants definitely were here, doing battle outside. Soon the walls would start shaking as Swarm went on demolishing the lab. There would be no escape for anyone once that happened.

This in mind, the robot tried to run from the cell. Thumpback leapt after him, grabbing his shoulders. He now tugged on the chain, the magic imbued in it finally working its charm. Pain filled his stomach, swirling around like an angry storm- water magic. But there was also something else. An incessant pounding drummed in his head, over and over, harder than any migraine he'd ever had. It was tech magic- somehow Thumpback's contact with the robot made him suffer from the effects of the robot's Element.

And the pain was unbearable.

But it still wasn't the worst feeling that Thumpback had ever experienced.

"Let go, you primitive mold!" the robot yelled in anguish- apparently the magic worked the same way for him. "You'll destroy us both! We have to get away!"

"You know there's no escape for me! Not while I'm attached to this wall! Not while I'm still a monster!" Thumpback yelled. "If we both go down, so be it!"

Something shot at the robot, forcing Thumpback to let go. The tech magic left in an instant, and the pain in his head suddenly went away. He turned his head toward the opening where the door had been, noticing that Eye-Brawl had arrived. The flying eyeball shot a laser at the chain, severing the magic and freeing Thumpback at last, while the headless giant punched a hole in another wall. Thumpback stared at them, dumbfounded. Out of any of the Giants who thought to go in and look for him, why Eye-Brawl?

"There you are! I am so mad at you!" Eye-Brawl shouted. "Let's go! We haven't a moment to lose."

Thumpback was too shocked to argue. He knew no better than to follow him out of the lab as the walls finally cracked and fell down.

* * *

The Giants had to flee immediately after the event. They ran for hours, eventually finding a way off the island and onto a floating settlement that the Arkeyans hadn't found. So far they were safe. Thumpback had been unable to scan the area for Swarm, seeing if he had gotten out, and could only hope that he was safe. At night, once everyone was certain that they were safe, Thumpback was given a ninety-minute lecture from Eye-Brawl. At least, it felt like ninety minutes- he hadn't cared to listen.

Thumpback had taken a life long ago, so his was now forfeit.

So why was he still here?

"You couldn't have thought to wait for us when you got lost?" Eye-Brawl yelled. "You can't just go wandering about in the woods or else these things happen! Be thankful we managed to get you out of there in the nick of time!"

"You're overlooking it, Eye-Brawl," Bouncer insisted. "It was a battle strategy. A brilliant one. I never would've thought to get myself captured so I could take it down from the inside."

"For the last time, it wasn't a battle strategy," Thumpback sighed, sitting on the grass with his shoulders sagging. "I was just stupid. I needed someone's help to get the ball rolling. Even if that weren't the case, they have sedatives powerful enough to keep a Giant under for days. At least, they did- heck, I don't even know if they succeeded in getting that out to anyone else."

"Animal experimentation, the sickos!" Tree Rex yelled. "They just don't care about anything!"

Eye-Brawl continued his argument, "Thumpback, we searched for you for days! We had to give up because the 'lab' was too important to wait on. Do you have any idea how worried we were for you? How guilty we felt when we had to abandon the search for you? I'd hate myself forever if I knew I'd chased you away into the unknown!"

"And why is that!?" Thumpback yelled. "Why is my life so important? After everything I've done? After everything I haven't done? Why was it so important that you went back for me?"

Everyone stepped back. The whale behemoth just didn't get angry like this. He never got frustrated. Thumpback had taken himself by surprise as well. Had he bottled something up? More than just his guilt?

"Your life is important, Thumpback," Tree Rex said in a low voice. "You were brought into Skylands for a reason. The very fact that you exist is beautiful. Don't take that for granted. _Never_ take that for granted."

Thumpback's eyes welled up. "Hasn't Eye-Brawl told you yet?" he asked.

"A-about his brother?" Bouncer stammered. "He told us the first day you were missing."

"I'm really sorry for what I did. I'd take it back, if I could. But there's nothing that can be done. It's a stain on my life now. You shouldn't have gone looking for a monster like me!"

"I didn't mean it like that," Eye-Brawl begged him. "You were forced to do it, right? My brother's death wasn't your fault."

The tears came down. "Of course it was," Thumpback insisted. "Our captain said he'd go easy on us if we carried out his plans, but that never happened. I should've left when I realized this, but I didn't. And now your brother's gone because of it."

"I should've listened to you rather than yell at you about it," Eye-Brawl continued. "I could tell you were upset, and I shouldn't have said those things. It was just the shock that made me do it- I'd...I'd spent so long looking for him and wondering what had happened to him, that hearing he was gone...I'll never see him again. It hurts. But it's not your fault."

"...I'm so sorry."

"I would've felt much worse if something happened to you because of me."

Bouncer sat next to Thumpback and set an arm over his shoulders as he cried. "You've got to let this go," he explained. "None of us are perfect. You couldn't have known to leave your captain back then. You've just got to learn how to move on. The future's right in front of you, and there's something you can do right now to make things better for other people."

"And you're part of a team now," Tree Rex cut in. "A team of people who care about you. You can tell us your woes. We're never going to abandon you, no matter what has happened."

How could they just decide that? Thumpback had done such terrible things.

But somehow, knowing that he'd been slightly forgiven for that day, Thumpback started feeling a little bit better.

"There was a Giant at that lab," Thumpback announced. "Swarm. We worked together to tear the place apart, but I told him to run the other way until the smoke cleared. I think our next plan of business is to find him."

"You got him interested in our crusade?" Tree Rex asked.

"He wants to defeat the Arkeyans. I told him we could help him."

"Then tomorrow, we should start looking for him."


	20. Eye-Brawl: The Worst Feeling (pt 2)

Chapter Twenty: The Worst Feeling (Part Two)

Eye-Brawl could only feel fury toward Thumpback.

"You're a monster! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!" Eye-Brawl screamed.

Thumpback stared at the flying eyeball, visibly upset. He'd looked that way when Eye-Brawl had decided to take the next watch that night. He hadn't known of the things that the giant whale behemoth was thinking, nor the guilt he was feeling, nor the actions that had caused the guilt. Eye-Brawl didn't care. Not after what he had been told.

"Get some sleep," Eye-Brawl spat next. "We'll wake you in the morning to discuss our plan."

And then Eye-Brawl flew away from Thumpback. He wanted nothing more to do with that heinous monster. No, Thumpback was worse than a monster. Thumpback was just a...a thing! An unfeeling thing with no remorse for anyone!

That had to be the reason to justify his heartless killing of Eye-Brawl's brother, right?

Eye-Brawl retreated to Headless, the Giant...that lacked a head. The headless giant was an enigma in himself. It was Eye-Brawl that had given him the moniker of Headless. (As the giant had never asked to be called by anything else.) They had hated each other in the long past, but now Eye-Brawl trusted Headless as his closest ally and friend in these dark times. He certainly had no one else in the world without Dive-Clops around.

Dive-Clops.

Oh poor Dive-Clops.

Eye-Brawl was angry to hear what happened to him. Thumpback had fired on Dive Clops several years back, shooting the cannons at him. He had to be dead. Dead as dirt. The news ripped something out of Eye-Brawl's soul, though what it was, he couldn't be sure. And after his outburst to Thumpback, he just felt...empty. He didn't feel anger. He didn't feel sorrow. He just didn't feel...anything. At this point, he found himself incapable of feeling anything.

Eye-Brawl turned back to look for the whale behemoth. Thumpback had walked off somewhere. Eye-Brawl knew he had upset him- but he was incapable of feeling guilty about it. He turned back toward Headless, who was now sitting upright with his arms crossed. The flying eyeball's outburst must've woken him. Though the others remained asleep- Bouncer laid on the ground, and Tree Rex sat against a tree. Neither of them seemed disturbed in the least.

"Headless, wake up Bouncer so he can take the watch," Eye-Brawl said.

Headless removed his arms from the fold, confused.

"I think I'm feeling...well...just sick, is all."

Eye-Brawl realized that he was speaking in a monotone voice. There was no way for him to even convey emotion. Everyone would be able to tell that something was wrong. And there was no way for Eye-Brawl to explain what was wrong.

But he didn't need to elaborate to Headless. The giant was already walking up to Bouncer. Eye-Ball settled at the trunk of a tree, folding his giant wings around himself. All he wanted now was sleep.

* * *

 _A fight occurred in the Underworld, and all over the Underworld. But the fight wasn't between two separate factions. Just two separate beings. One of them was a headless giant. His origins were unknown to everyone he met. (Since he never told anyone where he came from.) The other was a giant flying eyeball, who always told everyone his own opinion. (Though since he had a pessimistic outlook on the world, and his opinion always seemed to be negative, nobody ever sought him out.) The two fought, with the giant throwing his massive punches, and the eyeball shot lasers from his pupil. The fight went on for a century, and neither of them had left a scratch on one another._

 _You would think that a war between only two people, neither one interested in gathering armed forces, would be much safer. But that thought is wrong. The denizens of the Underworld had to deal with the repercussions of each battle. The ground filled with holes wherever the giant stomped. Houses were destroyed with every laser misfire. The dust they picked up made it hard for anyone to see clearly, and this caused health problems in a few people. The war was a terrible, terrible thing._

 _Eventually, enough people complained to the two, asking them to stop fighting. They agreed, admitting to have forgotten the cause of the war in the first place._

 _The flying eyeball, Eye-Brawl, returned home without any spoils from the conflict. He flew back to the surface, noting that the Arkeyans had gained a strong foothold on the world- that conflict mattered not to him. His mountain home was safe, and so was his family._

 _"Where were you?" his brother Dive-Clops asked. "You've been gone for a hundred years. Mom was starting to worry."_

 _"Just trying to reclaim our honor," Eye-Brawl explained._

 _This brought about laughter in Dive-Clops. "Oh really?" he chortled. "And who exactly stole our honor?"_

 _"A headless giant. Remember him, Dive? He was giving us the stink-eye last time we traveled to the Underworld together."_

 _"But he didn't have eyes."_

 _"But you know that was what he was trying to do."_

 _The laughter continued. Eye-Brawl sighed as this went on. Dive-Clops could be so insensitive. He simply didn't understand the struggles that his older brother went through to keep their family safe. Who knew what that giant would do to them?_

 _But everything had been fine at home. Dive-Clops didn't seem hurt. It didn't seem like he even needed Eye-Brawl. Perhaps Eye-Brawl could let up on his helicoptering. Dive-Clops was so much smaller than the rest of them, but he was capable of handling himself._

 _"Well while you were off 'defending our honor' I was in charge of making supper," Dive-Clops explained as his laughter stopped. "Every night. For a hundred years."_

 _"I can make supper tonight," Eye-Brawl promised._

 _"No need. I've actually gotten quite good at boiling noodles."_

 _"I think the family could eat something other than noodles after all this time."_

 _"Alright then. But what could possibly be better than my famous noodles?"_

 _The two of them laughed. Eye-Brawl still found himself worried about his brother's well-being. He still felt obligated to hover over his loved ones. After being gone so long, Eye-Brawl promised that he would let up slightly, while making sure his brother remained safe._

What a sham.

* * *

"Guys, he's gone," Tree Rex gasped.

Eye-Brawl stirred slightly. That empty feeling inside himself had filled up slightly after hearing Tree Rex's worried tone. Thumpback hadn't deserved that scolding from last night. He was far too stupid to know what he was doing.

"You mean Thumpback?" Bouncer asked with a yawn. (Tree Rex had taken watch after Bouncer sometime in the night- Eye-Brawl had been sound asleep by then.) "Yeah, I noticed that, too. Though I wasn't that worried. He always steps away when he's thinking about something."

"But he's _gone_! He should've come back by now. Thumpback is gone!"

Eye-Brawl huffed, grumbling, "Let him go. If he's not concerned about worrying us, then that's that."

Okay, maybe Thumpback deserved that scolding after all. Stupid or not, taking a life was an evil thing to do. Eye-Brawl had never been sure of what Tree Rex found interesting or useful about the whale behemoth. Thumpback was the cause of more trouble than help for them. Anger replaced the guilt that Eye-Brawl began feeling- and there was no room in his empty husk for any other emotions.

The flying eyeball's irritability did not escape Bouncer. "Okay, what's eating you?" the robot asked.

Someone else had to know, Eye-Brawl decided. "Thumpback killed my brother."

Silence wafted in the air. Nothing could be felt but shock. There was no easy way of saying, "Our friend killed a family member of mine," now was there? Both Tree Rex and Bouncer would hate Thumpback for this. Eye-Brawl just knew it. And he wanted it that way.

Tree Rex suddenly started laughing after a little while. "Not Thumpback!" he insisted. "He couldn't hurt a fly!"

Eye-Brawl got up, flying toward Headless, who sat up next to a tree. He set himself in the place where the head should be, continuing, "He told me last night. It ate him, so he told me. Thumpback thought that if he told me, I might forgive him. But he is far from that. I say we leave him!"

"We can't just leave him!" Tree Rex argued. "You said it ate him? Then he feels bad about it! He made a mistake! We need to go after him."

They all got up, following Tree Rex through the woods. Eye-Brawl was appalled- this sensation replaced his simple anger. "He killed someone! He's not one of us! We'd never do anything like that!" he yelled. "Leave him!"

"That might be true, but the Arkeyans have done much worse things than kill people," Bouncer spat. "You haven't seen those atrocities like I have. You haven't seen how they treat their slaves. How they treat their prisoners. Thumpback has united with us to put a stop to that evil, and we're united with him. Don't let your vendetta get in the way of that."

"And you're putting our factory demolition plan on hold for that?"

No comment.

Alright, then.

* * *

 _Eye-Brawl could only think of the moment when Dive-Clops went missing._

 _He had been so happy to return home. Dive-Clops had been happy as well, insisting that he'd missed his older brother. The first few weeks back were beautiful. The two of them hung out, played, acted as if Eye-Brawl had never left. He had almost feared that Dive-Clops resented him for being gone so long._

 _Maybe he did._

 _They had flown near the ocean one day. Eye-Brawl had become scared once the islands on the water had left them. It was way too easy for someone to attack them in the open like that. He'd insisted that they turn back, and they did- at least, that was what he thought. Minutes before returning to their mountain home, Eye-Brawl realized that Dive-Clops had stopped following him. His little brother had shown interest in exploring the sea, so maybe he was still out there. Eye-Brawl went back, sick with worry, hoping to find Dive-Clops out there._

 _But the sea did not reveal him._

 _And while Dive-Clops was lost, Eye-Brawl decided not to go home._

 _He had to find out where he was, or what happened to him._

 _Eye-Brawl spent months on his search. Every lead came up empty. Every trail came cold. No one had any idea where Dive-Clops would be. Eye-Brawl spent this time hating himself. Of course his brother resented him! Why wouldn't he? They hadn't been together in a hundred years! It was natural to ignore your brother's orders when you absolutely hated him, right? Eye-Brawl wasn't sure. He didn't have a single memory from his youth where he was alone without Dive-Clops._

 _He encountered the headless giant once more when exploring the Underworld. Eye-Brawl had been on his way out, his worst fears shot down, when the giant ran up to him. He stood on tip-toes, waving like a little kid. Somehow he recognized Eye-Brawl. Despite the war being a draw, the headless giant harbored no ill will toward him._

 _"Get lost," Eye-Brawl spat. "I don't need company."_

 _But the headless giant continued following him. No matter how fast Eye-Brawl flew, or how tricky he acted, the giant managed to find him. This lasted for days, and the giant must've perceived it as some kind of twisted game. Eye-Brawl eventually gave up trying to chase him away, and the giant continued following him in boredom. They didn't travel together- there was the "ten paces" limit. Anyone after ten paces was not travelling with the leader._

 _The event, known as "The Great Epiphany" in the Skylanders Scrolls, happened one day on an island. This island had a waterfall island above it, which streamed down into a pool. The headless giant slept on a rock, indicated by the rise and fall of his shoulders as if he were breathing steadily. Eye-Brawl studied him intently, unsure of what to think. What was that thing? How did it eat and live? What did it want out of the world? Where was its head? It just made no sense._

 _An idea suddenly came to his mind- Eye-Brawl would never know why it came, but he never questioned pure genius when it stared in front of him. He flew toward the giant and sat in the spot where the head was supposed to be. Something clicked inside of him the minute they touched- this, in time, would be referred to as a 'bond'. The giant woke, running around frantically. He stomped the ground, touched a hand to the rock and the grass, leapt through the air into the pool, and ran beneath the waterfall. Eye-Brawl spluttered as the water fell on him, jarred by the whole experience. He could feel the giant's excitement flow through him. Everything was so new, yet he knew what all of this was._

 _"You're seeing all of this for the first time," Eye-Brawl realized. "Seeing it and hearing it."_

 _The giant grabbed one of Eye-Brawl's wings and pulled him off. Eye-Brawl was quickly wrapped in a giddy hug, the giant hopping up and down. Eye-Brawl could feel a heartbeat in his chest. It was mesmerizing and soothing- something lived in there. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel alone._

 _And he didn't have to be alone ever again._

* * *

The two of them were currently having a falling out during the search for Thumpback. Eye-Brawl sat where he normally sat as they walked around the woods. He called out Thumpback's name with a lack of passion- while he didn't want the whale behemoth to die, he certainly wanted nothing to do with him. Headless thought differently. Why, Thumpback had made a mistake, and since everyone made mistakes, he should be taken back. While connected with Headless, Eye-Brawl felt the giant's worry. While that was the only thing he felt, that was not his feeling. And while Eye-Brawl was nothing more than an emotionless husk of his former self, Headless was unable to connect with him on this level.

Since Dive-Clops was dead, why, Eye-Brawl was dead as well.

After a few days, another discussion was held. Eye-Brawl felt Headless's horror- the Skylanders were abandoning Thumpback in favor of destroying the factory. That was still technically their objective, and the reason they came to this forest, but Thumpback had to be out there. Eye-Brawl knew that the whale behemoth was gone- they'd all but turned up the ground in searching for him. There was nothing more to do.

Tree Rex kept his resolve, reasoning, "Thumpback's in the factory."

"He'd be dead," Eye-Brawl argued.

"Where else do you think he could be?"

"Still doesn't change the fact."

Eye-Brawl was filled with Headless's anger toward him- why couldn't the flying eyeball understand that he was wishing another person dead? It wasn't his own emotion, so it was mere water off his back. He didn't need Headless's anger to tell him what to do.

"You know how it goes," Eye-Brawl explained. "Once they see that Thumpback's a Skylander, they'll kill him."

"But it hasn't been that long," Tree Rex decided. "They probably don't recognize him as a Skylander yet. We still have a chance to save him."

"He won't be the same once we do," Bouncer sighed.

They all looked at him. That was an odd thing for the robot to say.

"Erm, I've said too much," Bouncer objected. "I shouldn't even be talking right now."

"What are we up against?" Tree Rex demanded.

"Yes, in the event that one of us _does_ end up captured," Eye-Brawl agreed as Headless crossed his arms.

Bouncer let out another heavy sigh. "There are worse things than death in those strongholds," he began. "If they see you as an accomplice to the Skylanders, they will interrogate you. Nonstop questioning, day in, day out. Sometimes they refuse to feed you until you give them answers. If that doesn't work, they strap you to a wall and torture you that way. Magic, electricity, barbaric punishment- anything harsh enough to get you to talk. You could die in that period. And when you do finally break and spill the beans, they kill you anyway- to 'make an example' of what happens when you cross the Arkeyans."

Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Nobody even swallowed their saliva down. It felt as though the air stopped moving, and the animals in the forest stopped moving. Headless's emotions ran rampant- Eye-Brawl couldn't feel this. No, he was too busy trying to sort something in his soul that flooded in. Something that had been ripped out that first night.

"First hand," Bouncer promised.

"W-We still have time, don't we?" Tree Rex stammered. "To save Thumpback?"

Shrug.

"But you were just a security guard," Eye-Brawl reminded him. "You only watched. It's not like it was you doing..."

He stopped talking. Bouncer looked at them both in fear. No guessing was needed- Bouncer had indeed participated in these torture sessions. Whether it was a big part or small part, it didn't matter. He'd done something atrocious. But...but...he was such a nice guy. He hated the Arkeyans. He wanted to help people. Why...

"They told you to do that stuff, right?" Tree Rex asked. "They controlled you. You had no choice. And you hated doing it. What you did was not your fault!"

Eye-Brawl hovered above Headless, not wanting the giant to feel the flood that rushed back. Thumpback had said that! Thumpback had feared what his captain would do if he didn't carry out those orders! It had been the captain's idea to...

"I chased Thumpback away!" Eye-Brawl admitted. "When he told me about it, I just got so furious! I practically screamed at him, told him that he was a monster. It's my fault for this."

Headless grabbed Eye-Brawl in a hug. Eye-Brawl felt wet with tears. "It's my fault for what happened to my brother," he continued. "I wasn't looking out for him. I wasn't there when he needed me. I _left_ him. I blamed Thumpback for that incident, but it was my fault. And now he's going to die, and it's all my fault!"

"Thumpback's not going to die!" Tree Rex insisted. "I won't allow it!"

"He didn't deserve my wrath! He didn't deserve this punishment! I'm worse than he! I _wished_ this upon him!"

Eye-Brawl fell into sobs. Tears rolled down, dampening Headless's arms and the grass below. Tree Rex and Bouncer came over, trying to comfort him. He didn't want any of them around. He was too evil to be around! He should just die with the rest of Skylands' filth!

"It's not your fault," Bouncer insisted. "You'd received terrible news. You were in hysterics- you didn't know how to convey your emotions. Losing a loved one hurts. It hurts unlike anything else in the world. You probably shouldn't let that pain control your thoughts. But your not a bad person because you feel that way. You're not evil because you want to seek an answer for your pain. You're not treacherous for falling into this weakness and believing revenge to be the answer. Everyone feels that way at one point or another. We need each other to lean on."

"Thumpback's not dying," Tree Rex insisted. "We're gonna storm in there and get him out. We'll figure out our next destination from there, and go on as if this never happened. You won't feel guilty if nothing bad happens to him."

"...You still want me around?" Eye-Brawl stammered.

"Of course. What would we do without our favorite annoying eyeball?"

The sobbing was quelled. Eye-Brawl pulled himself away from Headless's grasp. Thumpback didn't deserve this. No matter what he'd done, he didn't deserve any of this. It was time to get him back.

The plan was set. Bouncer would stand guard at the front of the factory while Eye-Brawl and Tree Rex stormed in. While that wasn't the best plan for destroying this large a factory, what else could they do? It really had to just be Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl taking them down- how heavily guarded did they have Thumpback, so that he couldn't participate? Hopefully the whale behemoth was still alive.

Everyone stood back as Tree Rex slammed his red fist onto the side of the wall. Alarms started blaring from the roof, and an army of Arkeyan Warriors started coming forth. These soldiers wore blue, unlike the red that the Skylanders normally saw them wear. There was no dwelling on this fact as Tree Rex set to work smashing them. Headless marched forth and started pounding his fists on the wall, shaking the ground as hard as he could in order to set the whole place apart.

"They're spilling out," Eye-Brawl gasped. "How many of them are there?"

"Just go in," Bouncer ordered them. "I'll take care of the stragglers."

Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl complied. They raced into the factory together, taking separate routes once they were inside. The treeman did most of the work tearing the place apart, it seemed- there was hardly any work for them to do. (They would later learn that Swarm was the one responsible for most of the damage.) Soon the whole place was falling apart, and the Giants inside were in terrible danger. Eye-Brawl traveled down a long corridor, Headless following just behind him. Oh, where could Thumpback be? Tree Rex had to be right in the whale behemoth being here. There was literally nowhere else for him to hide.

"Headless, do you see how everything is falling around us?" Eye-Brawl asked the giant. "We could potentially die in here."

Headless gave a shrug.

"I'm sorry for my attitude these past few days- surely you now understand the anguish I felt that caused this? And I want to say thanks for being by my side. I've never needed anyone's company like yours."

Headless halted for a moment as they reached an intersection in the factory. Eye-Brawl heard the commotion that the giant had picked up on- a struggle. They could faintly hear Thumpback's screams. Oh gosh, what was happening to him!? They raced down that hallway, Eye-Brawl dodging falling debris. A cell was found with broken chains dropped in front of it, and that was where they found Thumpback. The whale behemoth was in the middle of a tussle with a large Arkeyan robot- perhaps one of the wardens. An aura surrounded the two, making them both holler out in pain, and Eye-Brawl noticed an enchanted chain attached to Thumpback's foot.

"You know there's no escape for me!" Thumpback yelled to the robot. "Not while I'm attached to this wall! Not while I'm still a monster! If we both go down, then so be it!"

Eye-Brawl shot a laser at the robot, forcing him to the ground. He raced into the cell and shot a laser at the chain restricting Thumpback, breaking that and setting the whale behemoth free. Headless got to work punching a hole in the wall for them to escape through. Thumpback looked at Eye-Brawl in shock, bleeding coming from his nose. Funny- while Eye-Brawl was familiar with the kind of curses used on chains such as that, nosebleed was a symptom of a tech curse. What kind of magic did the Arkeyans have access to for two magic curses to torture a being?

Relief flooded Eye-Brawl. He was thankful that Thumpback wasn't hurt any worse than what Bouncer had described to them earlier. Nevertheless, he still yelled at him, "There you are! I am so mad at you! Let's go! We haven't a moment to lose."

* * *

The Giants fled the factory before it finally gave way and collapsed. No, it was a lab- Thumpback insisted that the factory had indeed been a laboratory. A lab disguised as a factory, why, what kind of secrets needed to be held in something like that? Thumpback had said they were trying- and failing- to test growth formulas to increase the size of organics. It was horrible. And everything else that Thumpback had described, especially the guilt he'd felt about what happened with Eye-Brawl's brother...

Eye-Brawl prayed that the whale behemoth hadn't been broken.

Several hours had passed after that whole incident. Their next objective was to find the other Giant trapped within the walls of that horrible lab- a wasp named Swarm. Eye-Brawl had actually seen him fly out while they were escaping- he'd been a simple yellow blur before, one too abstract for the flying eyeball to consider important until now. Swarm was travelling east, so the Skylanders would have to retrace their steps in the morning. Right now, everyone was trying to get some sleep for their next objective, though sleep was hard to come by as everyone was jarred from the recent experience.

Somehow Tree Rex and Bouncer managed to do this at some point in the night- Eye-Brawl envied that in them. Headless had managed it as well, bearing no ill will toward the flying eyeball for any ire he'd had these past few days. Eye-Brawl didn't deserve any of their kindness. He really had to be the worst kind of Skylander. The only other person awake at this hour was Thumpback, lying flat on his stomach like a...well...a beached whale. He stood away from the cluster circled around, as he usually did. While he was doing admittedly better than before, he was still upset.

Eye-Brawl flew toward him, sitting on the whale behemoth's right side. "If you're worried about animals hurting you in the night," he began, "you can sleep closer to the rest of us. We've always felt safer that way."

No comment.

"I remember when Tree Rex brought you to us. You seemed to be the most amazing thing in the world to him, by the stupid grin you could see on his face. He insisted that you could be an invaluable part of our team. I get it now- today you proved it. You're a true part of the team now."

"...I've never felt that way. Still don't. How did you fit in so well when you first joined?"

"You tell me. I'm so terrible, I'm surprised that I was even a viable option for the Skylanders."

"You're not terrible. From the way I see it, you care so much that you don't know how to say what you mean."

He guessed that was right, in one way or another. Eye Brawl let out a heavy sigh. "I really was thankful that we found you in that lab- I just wanted to make that out. And it was my fault for what happened to my brother- he didn't have to be in that situation if it weren't for me. You're not at fault. I don't know if that's at all comforting, or if it will heal you in the end, but I hope you can take solace in that fact."

"You're not at fault, either. It's easy to lose something in the ocean, even if it's right next to you. For example, I lost a Cloud Crab that was right next to me."

"Keeping to that idea? Then maybe neither of us are truly at fault."

"Just terrible happenstance."

Nod.

"I'm sorry you lost your brother. I don't know if _that_ helps, but...yeah."

"Yeah."

Thumpback got up, walking toward the pile of sleeping Giants and laying there. This was new behavior for him. Had this whole, terrible experience brought something good out into the open? Making Thumpback feel better about himself? Making _Eye-Brawl_ feel better about himself, somehow? It made no sense- Eye-Brawl decided that he didn't want it to make sense. He just wanted it there.

"We should try and get some sleep," Thumpback decided. "We've got a long day ahead of us."

Eye-Brawl returned to Headless's side, nestling at the sleeping giant's form. He folded his wings on himself, listening to the headless giant's heartbeat. Even now, that rhythm was soothing.

"Feeling better, I assume?" Eye-Brawl said, stifling a yawn.

"Much," Thumpback confirmed with a yawn of his own. "You?"

"For once, I am."

 **So this obviously takes place before the discovery of Dive-Clops being alive after all. Just wanted to come up with some thoughts on how the characters felt during this time.**

 **Man, wouldn't it suck to be away from your family for ten thousand years?**


	21. Dive-Clops: Ends of the Earth

**Skylanders for Teens wanted me to do one for Dive-Clops. Thought it would be a nice add-in to the two-parter chapters.**

Chapter Twenty-One: Ends of the Earth

He felt sick, spinning around and around. Dive-Clops had wandered into the Whirlpool of Destiny, where no sea creature ever escaped. It was much the same as a black hole, except in water, and everyone knew what it did. The Whirlpool controlled the ocean's currents, though living creatures didn't escape the pull that sucked the water into the center...

Dive-Clops had wandered too close to a dangerous force.

Again.

* * *

 _Dive-Clops flew through the air, enjoying the breezes of the summer day. Next to him was Eye-Brawl, the elder twin brother. They were winged eyeballs, and they both enjoyed life. Eye-Brawl had a blue iris, while Dive-Clops had a green iris, so there was no confusing the two._

 _The brothers were joined at the hip (For lack of a better term.) They always traveled together. Today, they were racing each other over a large ocean, enjoying the currents that gave them a boost. Eye-Brawl was in the lead, his wider wingspan giving him an eternal advantage. Dive-Clops didn't care. As of a few weeks ago, his older brother had returned from a conflict he had entered, attempting to "secure their family honor". This race was just like old times, and it was great to have him back._

 _Suddenly, Eye-Brawl stopped, accidentally causing Dive-Clops to crash into him._

 _"This isn't right," Eye-Brawl stammered. "We should head back."_

 _"Why? What did you see?" Dive-Clops asked, moving out from behind him._

 _A vast ocean lay before them. There were no islands in sight. There had been islands farther back, and now the sea was empty. Dive-Clops was amazed to see nothing. Maybe something lived in the nothing-ness (If that made sense.)_

 _"You're not afraid of a big ocean, are you bro?" Dive-Clops teased him._

 _"It's too open out here," Eye-Brawl stuttered. "Something could fly out and attack us."_

 _"There's nothing for anyone to hide behind. We'd see them. We'd see their shadow."_

 _"Please, Dive-Clops. Let's head back. It would make me feel better."_

 _Well, whatever made him feel better. They turned around, heading for home. But stubborn Dive-Clops wasn't done here. He'd spent a hundred years without his brother's protective shadow- surely he could handle himself out there. As soon as Eye-Brawl wasn't paying attention, Dive-Clops turned back around to the open sea. There was still so much to explore._

 _He flew for a while. Eventually he came across a ship in the water- a pirate ship. Dive-Clops had never seen a real pirate ship before. Against his better judgement, (as he'd been told many times on the dangers of pirates,) he flew toward the ship. It was a beautiful vessel, with its steel-plated hull and giant maw at the bow. Dive-Clops didn't think that steel could float. He wondered why this ship was able to sail._

 _A Seadog was seen at the crow's nest. Red coat, horned hat, mange in his beard, he was truly menacing. But Dive-Clops knew no fear, and he flew closer. He flew closer to the crow's nest, hoping to speak with the captain._

 _"Looks like we be havin' flyin' eye fer dinner tonight!" the Seadog shouted. "Thumpback, man the cannons!"_

 _A giant whale behemoth hopped onto the deck. He turned the cannons on board toward the flying eyeball, fear in his gaze. Dive-Clops realized the danger now, and he tried to escape._

 _But the cannons were faster._

 _Cannonball after cannonball flew at Dive-Clops. Each one that hit sailed through his wings. He screamed in pain, falling into the ocean. He plummeted down, dropping into the water. Dive-Clops saw red stuff stream out from behind him- blood! His wings had been ripped off! He was dying! Dive-Clops cried for help, but nobody came. He kept sinking, deeper and deeper, and deeper still..._

* * *

Dive-Clops still felt himself spinning. He'd blacked out at some point- he hadn't known eyeballs could do that. He would've thought he was dead, but something kept poking at his diving suit. His sight slowly came back, and shapes appeared. Blue light, with gray and red...blobs.

"Just stay right there, foul water demon!" a gruff voice yelled.

"Blrgh. Water demon...where...?" Dive-Clops slurred.

The dizziness went away, and his vision came into focus. Dive-Clops saw a flame spirit with red metal wings standing above him. The flame spirit held onto a large stick- the poking apparatus. His expression was dark, though his eyes showed fear. Of course. All flame spirits feared water. Dive-Clops's diving suit clearly had origins from the sea- perhaps this flame spirit thought he really _was_ a water demon, trying to plunge all of Skylands into water.

"I'm not a water demon," Dive-Clops explained. "I won't hurt you."

No comment.

"It's cute that you desire wings."

The flame spirit looked at his wings. He lowered the stick, confused. "My people created them for speed," he said. "Almost everyone has a pair of some fashion."

"It's also cute that you came to the ocean despite being highly aquaphobic."

"Ocean?"

Dive-Clops struggled getting up- still a bit weak, he only managed to flop onto his back. He could see why the flame spirit was confused with the eyeball's banter. They were in a canyon of sorts. There was no water to be found. Floating islands could also be seen, more of them existing around one particular area than Dive-Clops remembered there being. A few aircrafts also flew by, these ones more advanced than the ones the Arkeyans had built. Those robot overlords were really stepping up their game.

"How'd I end up in the desert?" Dive-Clops gasped.

"Couldn't tell you," the flame spirit shrugged. "Just found you out here. Thought a water demon had left a giant pearl or egg in that suit- and with a colony of Fire Elementals living near here, that's not a good thing."

"Do those ships fly over here all the time?"

Nod.

"I certainly hope the Arkeyans aren't scouting this area, then."

The flame spirit's eyes became quizzical. He put a hand out for Dive-Clops to grab onto, deciding that the eyeball was too insane to be of any danger to him. Dive-Clops accepted, and the flame spirit hoisted him up. The dizzy feeling returned, but that, along with his apparent weakness, disappeared.

"Is the Arkeyan Empire the last big thing you remember?" the flame spirit asked.

"Of course," Dive-Clops said, this time a little irritated. Apparently there was some big clue hanging in the air that he was just not getting.

The flame spirit's eyes widened in realization. "That was ten thousand years ago."

 _What?_ No, that couldn't be. Ten thousand years? Dive-Clops had spent ten thousand years swirling around in the Whirlpool of Destiny? No, no, no. Impossible. Things like that just didn't happen.

"A-are you sure?" Dive-Clops stammered. "One hundred percent sure? Give me proof!"

"That's not a good idea," the flame spirit insisted. "I don't want to blow up your...thing that...controls your thoughts. But I am absolutely sure that ten thousand years have passed from what you remember."

"...No...it can't be..."

"As sure as I am that the sun rises in the east."

That fact was still apparent. The sun has always risen in the east. It didn't help in the long run, but Dive-Clops found himself seeking solace in that fact. But the islands around here...the ships that flew by...the flame spirit's decision to build himself wings...of course it had to be true. Ten thousand years must have passed. There was no other way around it.

"...I don't know what to say," the flame spirit said.

"Don't say anything!" Dive-Clops found himself yelling. "Just don't say anything!"

Dive-Clops found himself taken aback by his own tone. He never yelled at anyone. Not even when he was upset about something. He hadn't even scolded Eye-Brawl for being gone for so long.

Oh gosh, he hadn't even thought about his family yet.

"...I'm sorry," Dive-Clops stammered. "You didn't deserve that."

"I know it's a lot to take in," the flame spirit nodded. "Forget about it. In fact, yell at me some more if you think it will help."

No comment.

"Then just scream. I usually feel better after screaming."

Dive-Clops turned away from him. Scream, without any fear involved? Shout, with no reason to do so? Just for the sake of screaming and shouting? Dive-Clops had never heard of such a thing. Did people always scream for that purpose? Oh well, he felt angry enough to do so. Dive-Clops took in a large breath and let out a wind-piercing scream. The sound carried through the air, seeming to land on the rocks. He swore he could feel the echo in his soul.

"Better?" the flame spirit asked.

He wasn't sure. He didn't know how to feel. "Maybe in a little bit," Dive-Clops shrugged.

The flame spirit held his hand out once more. "The name's Spitfire. I'll let you hang out for a while."

Dive-Clops shook his hand. "I'm Dive-Clops. And...thank you."

He would soon discover that Spitfire would be his most important friend in this new age.

* * *

Once the thought of his family came in, Dive-Clops couldn't shake it out. Ten thousand years had passed. Everyone he had ever known and cared about had to be dead.

Those Jelly Dwarves that had found him at the bottom of the ocean. Yeah, they had to be gone. Dive-Clops had been all but dead when they found him. They patched him up, and gave him the diving suit he now traveled around with. Had Dive-Clops even thanked them for their help? He certainly didn't feel deserving of it now.

His parents, and the rest of their colony back at their mountain home. They might be gone, too. Flying eyeballs had a long lifespan, and they couldn't be afflicted by undead curses like most other creatures, but eventually they left the mortal coil as well. What had his family thought when Dive-Clops never came home? Had they been worried sick? Had they stopped caring? Dive-Clops hadn't thought of this when he was traveling the ocean- he always assumed he'd find his way back one day.

Eye-Brawl...if his family was gone, then so was his brother. He had to be. Oh, Dive-Clops should've listened to him. None of this would've happened if he had. Eye-Brawl had the right idea, and now he was gone, and he had never known what had happened to his little brother. Maybe he hated him for disobeying him.

Dive-Clops felt incredibly lonely during this time, even with company.

Spitfire had taken him in, allowing the eyeball to live in his shack. It was small, with just enough commodities to make the flame spirit's home meet this age's requirements for living, which included a full bathroom and kitchen. (Not a bathroom-kitchen room, because that would be gross.) Apparently comfort was something that all creatures sought out nowadays- Spitfire's room was a pigsty, something that the flame spirit was comfortable with, while everywhere else in the shack looked decent enough in case someone bothered to stop by. Dive-Clops spent his own time camped out in the living room, just thankful that he had a place to stay.

Admittedly enough, Dive-Clops found himself gravitating toward the strange device in Spitfire's home known as the "television". It was a strange metal box that displayed moving pictures with little people in them. (Though the flame spirit explained that the people weren't trapped inside.) Dive-Clops had initially been fascinated with it after discovering the history programs, figuring that he'd had a lot of catching up to do. But perhaps his depression caused him to spend his days around it.

This didn't go unnoticed by Spitfire. One morning, after returning from work of his own, the flame spirit decided to join the eyeball in the living room.

"Back to history, I see," Spitfire mused. "What's this special about?"

"An event called the Cloudbreak Revolution," Dive-Clops sighed brusquely. "Figures undecided on which side their on, which war to fight. It's messed up, to say the least."

"Not much different from today. Different species and factions can't seem to decide which side they want to be on. Which side will protect them the most. I don't care about things like that. I'm on my own side, and whoever wants to join me is able to do so."

"You know, it's scary how things can change. The time I came from didn't used to be history, but it became history in my view before I even knew things had changed. I missed all of this."

"This must all seem frightening to you, then. No wonder you're so glum."

No comment.

Spitfire stole the remote away, turning the television off. "This isn't healthy for you," he insisted. "You know what, it's a nice day outside. Neither of us have had breakfast yet, and it turns out I know the best place around town to get the best omelets. What do you say?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Still a nice day, nonetheless. Let's go for a walk. Just the two of us."

Spitfire seemed so insistent on this. Something seemed to talk to the flame spirit, telling him not to give up on the eyeball. Dive-Clops was thankful for that. If it weren't for him, he probably would've wasted away in this new age, stuck fixating on that television. He had nobody to live for out here. Nobody but Spitfire. The flame spirit's presence ensured him that he shouldn't give up.

It really _was_ a nice day out, Dive-Clops discovered when he and Spitfire walked out. The sky was a vivid blue, with white puffy clouds that looked as if you could touch them. It was warm, with a cool breeze occasionally blowing through. The rest of the town was bustling with activity, excited by the prospect of a good day. Many flame spirits just like Spitfire moved throughout the streets, commuting to different places, or chatting with the non-Fire Elemental travelers that also inhabited the community. Dive-Clops was awestruck by this scene. He used to like days such as this, when it felt like anything could happen.

"Would you look at that crowd," Spitfire gasped. "Better stay close to me so you don't get lost, Dive."

Dive-Clops didn't object, taking Spitfire's hand as they walked. The flame spirit led the way, moving through the street and swerving past other pedestrians. Other flame spirits looked at Dive-Clops, giving him a glance that was different than what Spitfire had given him the first time they met. (Presumably because they could tell he wasn't a water demon.)Though the crowds made him a bit nervous, Dive-Clops was enjoying the activity of the day.

A sound began to carry through the air- trumpets, and maybe a guitar as well. Music! Dive-Clops began leading Spitfire away from the flame spirit's path, curious as to where the melody was coming from. They made it to a crowd that was clustered together tightly, seemingly refusing to move. The eyeball found that his suit was too short to see past everyone much taller than he. If only he still had his wings, then he could just fly up above their heads.

"Can I sit on your shoulders?" Dive-Clops asked Spitfire.

Spitfire gave him an annoyed glance, but nonetheless complied. He knelt down for Dive-Clops to climb on, and after that he stood back to his full height. Up here, Dive-Clops could see the kind of band that was playing the music. A skeletal man stood on a makeshift platform, blasting away on a trumpet. Small blue ghouls played beside him, waving a harmonic blend of melodies. Dive-Clops had never seen these kinds of ghouls before- had they always existed, and he'd never bothered to find out about them? Whatever it was, the band was excellent!

Spitfire glanced above the crowd's heads. "Oh heck, I didn't know Fiesta was playing here!" he smiled. "I haven't seen him in weeks!"

"Is he a friend of yours?" Dive-Clops asked.

"Friend, racing buddy, and all around cool guy. Yeah, he drives cars almost as well as he plays music. Almost."

"Don't think he drives as well as you? I've seen replays of your performance on the racing circuit. You get pretty cocky when it comes to cars and racing, huh?"

"Aw, don't make me blush! C'mon, let's go talk to Fi."

Spitfire pushed through the crowd of now-disgruntled viewers. Dive-Clops, startled, grabbed onto Spitfire's horns to steady himself. The flame spirit waved to the skeletal man, trying to grab his attention. The skeletal man noticed them, and made his way over, ending his band's performance for the morning.

"Spitfire, amigo! Where have you been hiding out?" the skeletal man, Fiesta, greeted him with a smile.

"I should ask the same from you," Spitfire replied. "I tell you I'm out sick, and you don't even bother sending a card?"

"Things got a little busy on the road. Something else grabbed my attention."

A camera flashed on Dive-Clops's right side, blinding him momentarily. He looked and saw a pink-haired faun holding a camera up to her face, having caught an image of the three of them together.

"This'll be a great commemorative piece," the faun mused. "Rookie Spitfire, back on the track, meets up with old friends before he sets off on his way."

"And that something would be Splat," Fiesta reiterated.

"She stalked you or something?" Spitfire wondered.

"More like chased me down in her speedboat and decided to become a road companion. Can't say no to a face like hers."

Splat gave them a smile.

"I'll give you that," Spitfire nodded.

"But it looks like you've found a road companion of your own," Fiesta noticed, directing his attention to Dive-Clops. "Sorry I didn't look at you before, my friend. What do you call yourself?"

Dive-Clops hadn't expected to be talking to the band leader. Or that the band leader would already be good friends with Spitfire. What a weird day. "I'm Dive-Clops," he greeted him.

"You know, you look like someone I might've seen before. Do you have any kind of family we might know?"

Not anymore. "I don't think so."

"He has that look, Fi," Splat pondered, angling her fingers in a sort of frame to look at Dive-Clops. "I swear, the kid looks like someone we've seen before."

"I'm much older than you," Dive-Clops insisted.

This brought about laughter in the faun. "Oh yeah? By how much?"

"Ten thousand years."

"...Okay, that would do it."

"Dive's been hanging with me ever since we met," Spitfire explained. "He hasn't been having the best time adjusting to this place."

Fiesta gave a curt, apologetic bow. "That's too bad, amigo. Do you want to talk about it, Dive? I'm good at consoling people."

"I'm still trying to figure out the right things to say about it," Dive-Clops sighed. "I'll keep it in mind, though."

"Fi's a good guy, Dive," Spitfire promised him. "I trust him with my life."

"What about me?" Splat asked with curiosity.

"Well we just met, so I barely know anything about you."

"But I'm also a good person, right?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Dive-Clops found himself giggling at their banter, thinking of how cute it was. His giggling was the first time he'd laughed in days. He thought that he might've been unable to laugh for the rest of his life. But somehow, listening to the banter between Spitfire and his friend was making him feel better. Maybe he could be a part of their group. Maybe things would be okay out here after all.

* * *

Returning home that afternoon, Dive-Clops thanked Spitfire for taking him out to see the town. It would become a habit that he made, thanking others for even the small things he was given- being ungrateful was a mistake he never wanted to make again. Spitfire took this first thanks humbly, insisting that it was his pleasure. He decided to take Dive-Clops out to the garage next to the shack to see the project he had been working on- which turned out to be the racing vehicle that the flame spirit had used.

"The Hot Streak," Dive-Clops gasped.

"Recognize her from those replays?" Spitfire asked with a smile. "We were in an accident a few weeks back."

"Yeah, the replays showed it. You're looking well, though. And so is your car."

"I've spent some time repairing her. But the Hot Streak isn't quite ready to go back out on the circuit just yet. There's still one part that needs fixing, and I'm not sure what that is. I think I could use your help on that."

"But-but I know nothing about cars, let alone the ones from this new age."

"It's not a big task. Just sit in the driver's seat and turn on the ignition. You'll hear a weird clunking sound, but that's just the thing that needs fixing. I'll try to go below to see what it is."

The car had been lifted up off the ground somewhat by a strange kind of cord, so that the flame spirit could go underneath it without hurting himself if something moved. Spitfire hoisted Dive-Clops into the driver's seat, showing him how to turn the ignition on. Dive-Clops did it after the short instruction, and almost immediately after a roar of fire came from the vehicle's grill. The Hot Streak seemed to erupt in anger, recognizing that the driver sitting in it was definitely not Spitfire, and couldn't be friendly. The wheels turned frantically above the ground, and only a gentle touch on the hood by Spitfire made this strange activity cease.

Dive-Clops was speechless shortly after, shaking from shock.

"Sorry, I should've thought of this," Spitfire cursed himself. "She recognized you as a Water Elemental- an enemy. The Hot Streak's first reaction was worse than mine when I saw you."

"It-it-it's alive!" Dive-Clops stammered. "It wouldn't act this way if it wasn't!"

"I'll show you why that is when we're done here. For now, I think she knows you won't hurt her, so we can get to work."

Spitfire ducked underneath the car. Dive-Clops slowly turned on the ignition, fearful that the same event would happen again. Luckily it didn't. Only the weird clunking sound Spitfire had said would be there came out. The flame spirit spent a few moments searching for the sound's source. He climbed out, motioning for Dive-Clops to turn the ignition off.

"The cooling pipe's messed up," Spitfire proclaimed. "Looks fine on the outside, but that's definitely where the sound was coming from. It might be cracked somewhere, so I'll have to replace it."

"I think heat shouldn't be a concern for this vessel," Dive-Clops wondered.

"No, actually. There are many pieces inside the Hot Streak that aren't fireproof. That's what the pipe is for. Now come on out, and let me show you what makes her so special."

Dive-Clops clambered out, still admittedly shaken up. He walked next to Spitfire as the flame spirit opened up the hood. Inside the vehicle was some kind of strange engine, brass or bronze in color. The Fire symbol was embedded on the front.

"It's called a Rift Engine," Spitfire explained. "That's the name I was given for the device when I bonded with it and the Hot Streak. Perpetual energy through magic, and a kind of life that no other vehicle on the circuit has."

"Where does such a device like this come from?" Dive-Clops gasped.

"Not sure. But it was ancient, for sure. Maybe long before you were around. I don't know if you would recognize something like this."

Except he did. He remembered this kind of device as soon as he saw it. There had been a kind of place around the Whirlpool of Destiny, one where devices like Rift Engines had existed, lying out of sight for many years. Dive-Clops remembered that he'd touched a Rift Engine, just before the current sucked him in. His touch had brought the device into the Whirlpool with him, at least for a moment. He'd completely forgotten about the experience before his time in the Whirlpool- at least, until now.

"I might've," Dive-Clops thought. "Maybe one of these things might be in the canyon where you found me."

* * *

Some time was spent searching the canyon for the hypothesized Rift Engine that Dive-Clops described. Each crevice was explored. Each rock was turned over. However, Dive-Clops and Spitfire's friends didn't have much luck locating the device.

"Maybe it landed in a different place than you did," Splat suggested one afternoon. "What did you say happened to you? You were stuck in a giant whirlpool for thousands of years?"

"Yup, that's what happened to me," Dive-Clops confirmed. "I almost thought it would be here."

"It could still be here," Spitfire shrugged. "I bet if we got close to the Rift Engine, you'd be able to sense it."

"If I'd formed a bond with it, that is."

Fiesta looked up from a cave he had found. "All it usually takes is a touch," he promised. "Just one touch for you to feel a connection. And once you've connected with something, time can't easily tear it away from you."

"Even family?" Dive-Clops sighed.

"If your bond is strong enough, then yes."

Dive-Clops wasn't sure. Time had torn everything away from him. Everything he had cared about was gone. He had no idea of what this "bonding" phenomenon was. Not even that could save what he loved, could it?

Whatever this all meant, Dive-Clops was thankful that he had been found by these people.

"What are you looking at, Fi?" Splat asked.

"This cave. It goes really far in, too," Fiesta replied. "I think something dug it out long ago. The Rift Engine might be in here."

"Ooh, creepy caves," Spitfire said with disinterest. "Not really something I'm in the mood for. Besides, we don't really have the equipment for-"

Dive-Clops was swayed. He ran up to Fiesta's side, the two of them walking in together.

"Of course, we've checked everywhere else for the Rift Engine, and it's not here," Spitfire decided, quickly following after them.

"Hey, don't leave me out here!" Splat yelled as she followed Spitfire.

The four of them walked out of the canyon, traveling into the cave. It was damp in there, with water dripping from the ceiling. A few stalactites and stalagmites had grown close together, forming into pillars. The minerals in this cave were much like the ones outside, though the reddish hues were mulled by the dampness.

"Definitely not how I want to spend my time," Spitfire mumbled fearfully, hugging his arms to his chest.

"Don't worry about your eternal flame, amigo," Fiesta insisted. "There's hardly enough moisture in here to put it out."

"Hey guys, do any of you feel that?" Splat wondered suddenly.

Everyone stood still. Nothing happened.

"It feels like moving water," Splat continued.

"Out in the desert?" Spitfire asked.

"Sure. There are hidden sources of water in the desert all the time. That's why you can find plants out there."

"But there are no plants out here," Dive-Clops remembered. "And the canyon is dry."

"This one. But I swear I can feel rushing water nearby."

"Lead the way, then," Fiesta obliged her.

Splat took the lead, walking deeper in the cave. Dive-Clops stayed behind for a moment, noticing how scared Spitfire looked. "You don't have to come with us," he insisted. "Not for my sake."

"I couldn't stay away," Spitfire insisted. "What if something happened to you guys and I wasn't there to help you?"

They continued onward. The cave started becoming narrower and narrower as they pressed on, despite Fiesta's hypothesis of something digging it out. Something couldn't have simply shrunk down and eaten its way through, right? Or was it just the earth growing around itself? There was so much Dive-Clops had missed out on the world, he realized. So much he had yet to learn, having missed all this time.

"It's getting rather dark," Dive-Clops noted. "You know, Spitfire, you're kind of illuminating the passage."

"Right, because I'm just a big torch for you guys," Spitfire mumbled.

"Hey, you _were_ worried about us, weren't you?"

Splat halted them, kicking at the ground for a second. A hollow sound was heard.

"You definitely heard that, right?" she persisted. "There's something down here."

"Water," Dive-Clops agreed. He could now feel his suit pick up the movement under their feet.

"Except there isn't a river down there. Where this cave ends is the same as the cavern below, but I can feel the water circle back around. Maybe whatever is causing it is where your Rift Engine is."

"But there's no way to get down there."

Splat motioned for everyone to step back. They did, watching her closely. The faun took her place, and stomped on the ground as hard as she could. Cracks were seen when she landed, forming on the ground. Everyone took another step back, fearful that they would all fall. Splat stomped hard once again, and this time she broke through.

"SPLAT!" everyone gasped as the faun fell through.

From the new hole, they heard a _splash!_ Dive-Clops walked up to the hole and hopped through, falling for a moment before he too landed in water. The water was deep, and he struggled to right himself, but this was a small feat accomplished once he broke through to the surface. He found Splat swimming toward the cavern wall, motioning the eyeball over to where she was. Dive-Clops paddled over to meet her.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Dive-Clops gasped.

Splat took his hand, helping him onto a small rock that she had found. From here, they could see the entirety of the cavern. The rocks seemed to sparkle green, glistening from the water. A kind of stream moved through here, moving in to the left, and exiting out to the right. Even the water had a sparkle to it.

"Isn't it the most incredible thing you've ever seen, Dive-Clops?" Splat smiled. "I have the ability to sense magic, and that is the source of the water's strange activity. There's no known fall for this water to be coming in at, so it must all originate from the same pool."

"The Whirlpool of Destiny," Dive-Clops stammered.

"I don't know about that, but maybe a lesser channel of-"

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

Splat looked at the exiting stream with a cocky smile.

"No no no, you don't know what you're planning! The Whirlpool takes everything you care about! It takes everything and leaves you with the nothingness left over!"

"But your Rift Engine could be out there."

"I feel alone out here, even with your guys' company! I can't do this again!"

Splat touched his shoulder. "Well, we'll be together, then," she promised. "The Whirlpool of Destiny will just have to take us together."

Dive-Clops tried not to cry. "You don't know if that will happen."

"We'll just see it try to tear us apart."

Well, they had gotten this far. It was all a part of seeing something in that nothingness. Before, Dive-Clops had had no idea of what was in the great unknown. Now he did- out there was his Rift Engine. He could feel it. But he wasn't brave enough to chase after it on his own. That was why his new friends were here.

"All of us, right?" Dive-Clops asked.

Splat nodded. She called up to the hole, "Fi! Spitfire! We're alright! Come down here and see us!"

The next person down was Fiesta, who plummeted into the water in swan dive fashion. He struggled to get upright as well, but was quickly there as soon as he broke out above the water. The skeletal man then spread his arms out, beckoning for the flame spirit to join them.

"Come on, amigo, I've got you!" Fiesta hollered.

"I-I don't know," Spitfire replied hesitantly. "It looks deep. I don't know if my eternal flame can survive that."

"I'll catch you, I promise,"

"Spitfire, please!" Dive-Clops yelled after him. "The next part of our search is one I'm terrified by, and I'm not going without you. Who's going to kick me in the shins when I feel like a task is too big to accomplish? That's the kind of person you are! The one who helps people keep going!"

Silence, for a moment. Then Spitfire hollered down, "I did say I trust you with my life, Fi."

And then the flame spirit jumped down, falling into the cavern. Fiesta caught him in his arms, accidentally falling back into the water upon Spitfire's landing. They quickly reemerged, smoke coming up from the flame spirit. His tail had shrunk, now licking orange instead of blue. The flames from his metal wings had also gone out. Though the blue fire in Spitfire's eyes still remained, and he was absolutely fine.

"That wasn't so bad, huh, amigo?" Fiesta insisted.

Spitfire moved himself onto the skeletal man's back, hugging his body this way. "I'm going to stay here, if it's all the same to you," he argued as his flames retained their blue tint.

"I guess swimming really isn't an option for you," Splat shrugged meekly.

Fiesta paddled over to where Splat and Dive-Clops were. "Where to, now?" he asked them.

Dive-Clops pointed to the cavern with the water rushing out.

"I really hate you right now," Spitfire grumbled to Dive-Clops. "But I guess this means we get to fight our fears together."

The four of them continued down the cavern, moving out with the current. A light broke out at the end of the cavern the farther they swam. The water seemed to become more shallow the farther they went, until their feet could touch the bottom. Dive-Clops could see out the exit, taking in a sunset scene of a pool surrounded by a grassy island. Water seemed to spray out the center, magic picking it up into the opposite cavern. A few things seemed to spray out of it- metal things, reminding him of the time period he had been born into.

"I don't understand," Dive-Clops gasped. "Why is the water just getting sucked back into the caverns?"

"Maybe it's the kind of thing that carves out new islands," Spitfire shrugged. "At least, one of the ways this happens. Do you think your Rift Engine is down in that pool?"

"I know it."

"Then let's go."

They hopped down, falling for a little while until landing in the pool. There was a current here, though definitely not as strong as the Whirlpool of Destiny. Dive-Clops saw a crack in the earth while he was underwater, which spurted out certain objects from the magic it held. He swam back to the surface, where his friends expectantly waited for him. Spitfire's flames had turned orange once again, though he hadn't been put in any danger.

"This isn't the Whirlpool!" Dive-Clops cheered, excitement filling his entire core. "No, it just spits out old trinkets that it collects in its current through places like this. Spitfire, this is where I came out!"

"That's great, man!" Spitfire congratulated him. "And...ouch at the same time."

"You guys just swim to shore. I can find the Rift Engine on my own."

They complied, paddling to one side of the pool. Dive-Clops went back under, swimming as fast as he could. He found something at the bottom of the pool, too heavy to float- he knew it to be his Rift Engine. Dive-Clops swam deeper, getting a hold on the precious device. He could see the Water symbol embedded on the front, feeling a forgotten bond as soon as he touched it. Dive-Clops tried carrying the Rift Engine back up, but it was too heavy to lift down here. Remembering the spout, he kept his grip on the device, steering toward the spray of water. Dive-Clops had entered the next spray, being shot up several feet in the air. Dive-Clops let go of the Rift Engine, spinning it away from him so it would land in the grass, while he allowed himself to fall back into the water. He fell back down several feet with a large _sploosh!_ and swam back to the surface, making way for shore.

Dive-Clops quickly clambered onto the grass, running to where the Rift Engine had landed. He tried picking it up, but still found it quite heavy on land as well, only managing to push it around. He caught sight of his friends, who were sitting near the edge of the pool, and called them over to him.

"Is that it? Wow, it's amazing!" Splat cheered, running up to Dive-Clops's side. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm going to build a boat!" Dive-Clops beamed. "I'm going to build a boat and sail the ocean that way!"

"You know, it's pretty tricky, building a boat. It's tricky to build anything, actually. I'll be glad to help you with it."

"I'd like that a lot, actually."

Spitfire and Fiesta came over, inspecting Dive-Clops and the Rift Engine. "A boat, you say?" the skeletal man smiled. "That sounds quite fitting. Not leaving us behind just yet, though, are you?"

"Why would I do that?" Dive-Clops scoffed playfully. "I just found you."

"Well we won't go anywhere, if that helps," Spitfire smiled, playfully scuffing Dive-Clops on the shoulder.

He'd made it through. Dive-Clops had made it through the nothingness and found this Rift Engine. He had no idea what it could do yet, but it had to be something amazing. Heck, what he had just gone through to get this far was amazing in itself.

"Hey guys," Splat said in realization. "How are we going to get this thing back into town?"

Right, they still had to do that.

As the stars began to come out, Splat remedied this problem rather quickly. She took water from the pool and mixed her own magic into it, creating a makeshift signal for the Skylanders to see. It really wasn't fair to call these newfangled heroes to their aid- from what Dive-Clops had learned about them, they had more important things to do. Nevertheless, he was excited by the prospect of meeting a Skylander face-to-face. They had only been a rumor when he had fallen into the ocean, and now they were practically celebrities. He was curious to know if they truly were the kind, selfless individuals they were made out to be.

When one of them finally arrived...he found himself shocked as to who it was.

One single Skylander had teleported into their vicinity. It was a "Giant", like the ones from Dive-Clops's day, though he had never seen this one before. The giant had black armor with bronze highlights in certain places. A flying eyeball sat where the head should be. The eyeball's attention had been brought to Splat, the one who had sent the signal. Dive-Clops immediately knew who he was.

"Hey Skylander, sorry to be of trouble for you," Splat greeted the Giant. "We just got stuck out here, and need some help getting this Rift Engine back to our town."

"You four aren't hurt at all, are you?" the Giant asked.

"Of course not. We just...planned poorly, is all."

Dive-Clops couldn't stop looking at him. He couldn't believe it. He thought he was dead. He thought that everyone he cared about was dead.

This didn't go unnoticed by Spitfire, who asked him, "Do you know him?"

"...My brother," Dive-Clops stammered.

"Your brother's a Skylander?" Fiesta gasped, having overheard the comment. "What did I tell you? Time can't tear close bonds."

Dive-Clops didn't reply.

"Why don't you go talk to him? It's been long enough, for certain."

He didn't know if he could. He didn't know what his brother would do. He didn't even know if his brother hated him. But...Dive-Clops had to say something to him at one point or another. He coughed to clear his voice, and shouted, "Eye-Brawl!"

The Giant looked at Dive-Clops, who was no standing so he could be better seen. The eyeball started looking misty, and he flew off the giant to meet his brother directly. Dive-Clops looked at him directly, himself also getting a bit misty.

"...Dive-Clops?" Eye-Brawl gasped.

"It's me," Dive-Clops nodded.

"But...how? I don't understand."

"It's a long story. I'm...I'm so sorry to have put you through this. I was attacked by pirates out there. I searched for danger, even after you wanted none. I understand if...if you hate me. I understand. I wasn't fair to you, even after how good you were to me."

He could never know what Eye-Brawl had been through. He could never know of the strange magic that brought Eye-Brawl to this time period- magic that was nothing like the Whirlpool of Destiny. But he did learn what his brother felt.

"You're always so apologetic," Eye-Brawl began. "You blame yourself for the smallest things. Truth be told, I should've had a closer eye on you. Who knows how things would've gone if we had stayed together. But when I did realize you were missing, I didn't waste a day. I searched for you everywhere I could think. When I thought you were dead, I still didn't stop, thinking there were places in the world where your spirit might've gone. I love you, and nothing in this world could change that."

Dive-Clops jumped forward, hugging Eye-Brawl. They both let out tears of joy, happy to have found one another out here.

There was still so much Dive-Clops didn't know about the world. But he knew that a bond was a powerful thing.

 **Title for this chapter comes from the song "Ends of the Earth" by Lord Huron.**


	22. Boomer: Trolling

**Hopefully with summer on its way, I'll have more time for writing stories.**

Chapter Twenty-Two: Trolling

A small village in Skylands was being attacked by horrible bandits. The bandits were all sorts of different species, from Drow to dragon. They pillaged the houses, looking for gold and all other kinds of treasure. It mattered not who they hurt in their quest.

Luckily the Skylanders were on the case. A brave team of Skylanders were teleported to the village, making quick work of the bandits. Boomer was among them, lobbing dynamite sticks at the ships that the bandits had stolen in order to get here. When bandits ran toward him, he kicked a bomb at their feet- they were blown sky high on impact. In no time at all, the Skylanders had cleared out the bandits.

"Oh thank you ever so much, Skylanders!" a Mabu villager cried in joy. "How can we ever repay you?"

The leader of the team, a Gillman named Gill Grunt, humbly bowed toward her. "It's our pleasure to help out kind-hearted people," he insisted. "No need to thank us."

A little Mabu child screamed in fear, pointing at Boomer. Boomer's heart sank- this always happened when he came on missions.

"Mommy! There's a troll right there!" the child cried, tears and snot running down his face.

The child's mother tried to calm him down, explaining, "No sweetie, that troll is a Skylander. He's one of the good guys."

"Trolls aren't good guys! Everyone knows that!"

The crying continued. Boomer looked away, unable to say anything. What could he say that would change their minds? That would prove that he was much more than his terrible species? Absolutely nothing would convince these people otherwise.

Gill Grunt walked by, placing a hand on Boomer's shoulder. "We should go now," he decided.

Boomer didn't object.

* * *

 _Boomer had been bad once. That's what he thought, no matter how much he hated thinking about it._

 _Trolls were justly disliked. They were always mucking about, fighting wars with whoever wanted it. They built factories that polluted nearby areas. They chopped down forest after forest, shoving the trees off the islands to make new bases. They didn't take hostages- often they didn't consider their value and just let them die. Yes, Boomer had been bad once. He was a troll, and he had been a part of this._

 _That was the part of himself he hated the most._

 _He'd been another member of the troll armies, not too long ago. Things were pretty boring around his island home. Boomer killed his boredom by detonating things, like sheep or barns- but was quickly bored when he ran out of stuff to blow up. Like most young men, bored by their homes, Boomer sought out excitement by leaving home and joining the army. And for a time, he was happy with this._

 _Of course, after a while, he discovered how seriously the troll armies took the war. The generals yelled out orders to Boomer, saying that every moment counted. If he somehow messed up, they would harass and punish him until he learned his lesson. The rules for the army were ground into their skulls, as if the world depended on their success. Maybe it did. Boomer started to dislike this kind of warmongering._

 _One day, he overheard the generals talking about destroying the dam that kept a nearby village safe. It was apparently in an effort to gain territory. They weren't going to move the people first? They were just going to let them all drown?_

 _That was when Boomer left, deciding that war wasn't worth the countless lives of innocent civilians. He left without telling anyone, making sure nobody looked for him. It was him that saved the village, creating a barrier of sheep that absorbed the rush of water from the destroyed dam. He wandered for a while after that, until the Skylanders saw his brave heart._

* * *

He hadn't been a Skylander for too long. Maybe people just didn't recognize Boomer as a Skylander yet. Well, the screaming child's mother had recognized him as a Skylander- though probably because the immediate threat had been the bandits, with no other trolls in sight. Nevertheless, Boomer decided that now wasn't the time for worrying. One of these days, people would know not to hate Boomer for what he was, and instead recognize him for who he was.

While the screaming child was still on his mind the next day, Boomer decided not to dwell on it. He didn't ask anybody for answers, he didn't find anyone to talk about it with, and yet he surrounded himself with others to keep them from thinking that there was a problem. If he didn't think about it, then it wasn't an issue. But if people _did_ want to talk to him about it, then that was their concern.

Someone _did_ come up to him that day, though for an entirely unrelated issue. Boomer had come out to the training yard, blowing up the dummies and watching them catch fire. The person that had come up to him was Stump Smash, the tree man with limbs shaped like mallets. The tree man had run up to the troll, panting heavily, fear in his eyes. He looked up at Boomer, the fear being replaced by anger to see him.

Right, Stump Smash had been attacked by the trolls. Boomer knew of how the tree man had attacked a team of loggers before he'd defected from the army. While he'd initially been scared at first, that was when Boomer started thinking about how evil the trolls really were. No wonder Stump Smash didn't like him. But what was he doing here now?

"I never thought you'd want to talk to me," Boomer wondered.

"I don't want to talk to you, I want to talk to Eon," Stump Smash growled. "You saw him last. Where did he go?"

"Um, Summer Forest, I think. He said something about recruitment."

"Is he back yet?"

"I think we'd notice if he was. A gaggle gathers around him when he returns from his trips."

Stump Smash paced the grasses, mallet hands behind his back. "Not back yet," he muttered. "Out of all the inopportune times for him to leave,"

"Did something happen?" Boomer asked.

Stump Smash glared at him once more, this time with a deadly fire. "Why would I ask help from _you?_ " he spat.

"You sound really worried. Maybe it can't wait for Eon to come back."

The tree man sighed. "It can't," he decided. "Slam Bam ran straight into the Citadel the moment we returned from our mission. Drobot was taking us on some training exercise- rudimentary Chompy-stomping. But there was an accident with Slam Bam and one of the farmers in the area we were in."

"Is he okay?"

"No."

It sounded like Stump Smash was done elaborating. Nobody wanted to talk too much with a troll, especially with the tree man's history with them, now did they? "That yeti has several hiding places in the Citadel when he's scared by something," Boomer thought. "But if he's scared enough to run away from you guys after the mission...I think he might be trying to find Eon."

Boomer ran inside, Stump Smash on his heels. They ran down the hallways, then up one flight of stairs that led to another hallway. At the end of this hallway was the old Portal Master's bedroom. The two of them hadn't even made it all the way down when they found Slam Bam pounding on the door, hoping to be let in. The yeti's sheer force was startling, reminding them that they had to be really patient with this uncultured person. Boomer motioned for Stump Smash to stay where he was, and the troll slowly walked toward Slam Bam.

"Slam Bam, just breathe for a moment," Boomer cooed. "Remember what we've talked about. Just breathe."

Slam Bam whipped around to face the troll. Tears streamed down his face. His shoulders heaved as he panted, the yeti already trying and failing to stay calm. "You want me to breathe? Then go get Eon! He's the only one who can help me!" he hollered.

"...Eon's still out."

"Still? Oh no oh no oh no, this can't be happening! This can't be happening!"

"Easy, man. Everything's fine."

"EVERYTHING'S NOT FINE! IT'S FAR FROM BEING FINE!"

With that kind of tone, one would expect the yeti to lash out and attack Boomer. But apparently Slam Bam had already been through that today- he'd started on it, forming a fist, but his pupils dilated far back in fear when he realized what he was planning on doing. It was at this point when Slam Bam sank into the corner, his top arms grabbing the back of his head, and his lower arms hugging his knees to his chest. He rocked back and forth like this, hyperventilating in sheer panic.

Now what were they supposed to do? Boomer knew that people who were hyperventilating often needed to blow into a paper bag, but they didn't have such a thing on them. Boomer felt himself panicking, too. It certainly looked like everything wasn't fine.

"That's it! I'm getting help!" Stump Smash yelled.

"Wait!" Boomer ordered him.

Wait? What else was there to do? Boomer turned his head toward Stump Smash, who was poised to run, despite what the troll had said. But the tree man wasn't moving, too frozen in fear to do so. Apparently they were all panicking. Boomer decided to move right up to Slam Bam, sitting right next to him. He set a hand on the yeti's shoulder, stroking it with his thumb. This action caused Slam Bam to stop rocking.

"You want Eon to tell you that everything's going to be okay," Boomer realized. "Slam Bam, you have a whole team of people living at the Citadel to tell you this. You're not alone. We can still talk to Eon if you want, but just know that he's not the only person you have who can talk to you."

Slam Bam's breathing slowed. Holy cow, this was working!

"You'll have to tell Eon what happened. Practice on me. Pretend I'm Eon for now."

Slam Bam gulped for a moment. "...Drobot said it would be a simple mission," he stammered out. "Just silly Chompies. Farmers could take them out. And they were, but they decided to let us handle it. Well...all but one. A man with a rake."

"He got in the way."

"He attacked the Chompies with the rake. He got in my path. I looked at the rake, and thought for a moment that the man was going to hurt me. I jumped to my first instinct...I don't even remember hitting him...but I hit him. I socked him hard."

"That rake scared you, huh?"

"I don't know if he's dead."

"Did you pound him more than once?"

He shook his head.

"Of course that man's not dead! You're not able to kill a man in one punch."

"I told Drobot I wasn't ready! I told him and he didn't listen!"

"Shh. It's okay. He didn't know this would happen. None of you did."

Slam Bam lowered his arms to the ground. He sat there, sobbing. Boomer took the yeti into a hug. "It was just an accident," he continued. "You've been in battle before, Slam Bam. You know not to hit us. That man probably threw you off. What happened out there was just a mistake. We all make mistakes."

"Nobody's going to trust me again!" Slam Bam blubbered.

"They're going to trust you. It was just a mistake. Stump Smash, come over here and tell Slam Bam that people aren't going to distrust him because of this mistake."

Stump Smash had been watching them with shock this entire time. The tree man complied with Boomer's order, walking over to them. "You injured that man pretty badly, Slam Bam," Stump Smash began, "but it's not as bad as you think. You didn't even knock him out. Heck, didn't you hear how Drobot scolded him, saying not to get in the way of our business."

Slam Bam had stopped sobbing. He laughed slightly at that last comment. "Yeah, I heard."

"And he should've thought to stay back and let us handle it. Nobody should get in our way unless they can hold their own in a fight. Anyone besides you could've been in that same situation, and it wouldn't have been because they were scared. And this happened in a small area, so word's not going to spread far. People will still trust you. You've still got a lot to learn, but you're getting there. We all are."

Slam Bam hugged Boomer tightly, nearly squeezing the living daylights out of him. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you both. I really needed this."

"Still think you need to talk to Eon?" Boomer asked, having difficulty breathing.

Slam Bam released him, standing up. "Maybe to just let him know what happened," he shrugged. "If he has anything to say, I'll take it. But I'm okay, for now."

Another figure came down this hallway- Drobot. The robotic dragon panted, having apparently searched the entire Citadel for the yeti. Slam Bam went over to talk to him, to explain that he was alright. Boomer remained where he was, watching them, when he was reminded of that bad feeling he'd gotten from the screaming child. All that the troll had done was try to help people, but none of them trusted him, purely because of what he was.

"How did you know what to say to him?" Stump Smash asked.

Boomer shrugged, speechless.

"I didn't expect you to be able to do that. It was...cool."

Stump Smash left with Drobot and Slam Bam. Boomer stayed behind, that bad feeling taking the forefront of his mind once again. Of course people would still trust Slam Bam. They knew he was young, and he was too much of a goofball for anyone to really hate. And because of what he was, even if Slam Bam lost the people's trust, he could always redeem himself. That was something that, no matter how hard he tried, Boomer could never do.

* * *

Boomer hid himself in the library the next day, reading through the Skylander Scrolls. The Skylanders had always had an assortment of strange creatures in their ranks, some that the world hadn't trusted until their initiation. Boomer looked through these, hoping to find hope for his situation. Fear had taken the entirety of his mind, no matter how hard he tried not to focus on it. What if nobody _ever_ trusted him enough to help?

Gill Grunt found Boomer sitting near the bookshelves. "Hey, I completely missed you yesterday," he smiled. "You didn't get into any trouble, did you?"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" Boomer stammered.

"You weren't on any missions yesterday, right? Well things can get boring around here without anything to do. They can get boring anywhere, actually. Did you know I became a Gillman Marine out of boredom?"

Boomer had read about that in the Gillman's scroll. And he knew all too well of the things you would do out of boredom. "I spent the day training," he explained. "I kept myself busy."

"Glad to hear. Say, I'm taking another group of Skylanders on a mission to Stonetown. Wanna come?"

He still wanted the troll around? No...it was still too soon for that. Still too soon after the incident with the screaming child. "I was feeling a bit queasy this morning, so...I don't think so," Boomer lied.

"That's too bad," Gill Grunt sighed. "You really did do a good job on your last mission. Practically had those bandits crying for their mommies."

No comment.

"I should get going. Hope you feel better soon, Boomer."

Gill Grunt turned away to leave. Boomer jumped up from his seat and caught the Gillman on his arm. "Gill, wait," he decided. "I have a question for you."

"Yeah?" Gill Grunt asked.

"Well, I was just wondering...has anyone ever hated you...for being a Gillman?"

This brought about chuckles in Gill Grunt. "Oh sure. There are the crustaceans that don't like me for what I am. The sphinxes would love to turn me into Gillman Goulash. And I think Hugo insults our species without trying to."

"Oh. Well, how did you get over it?"

"I showed them why they were wrong about me. I showed them my worth as a warrior and Skylander. I know why you asked about this. Listen Boomer, there's always going to be someone who doesn't like you because of what you are. You've just got to stay hard at work protecting the innocent. Keep at this, and you'll prove them wrong. Does that help?"

Boomer didn't quite feel better. "It does," he insisted. Even if it would take him forever, that message did help.

"I should go now," Gill Grunt concluded. "I hope you're feeling well enough to go on a mission later."

Boomer allowed Gill Grunt to leave. He watched him go, thinking about the message he'd been given. Suppose everyone here had been distrusted because of what they were, in one way or another. It was at least comforting to know that he wasn't alone in that area.

A few other Skylanders in the library looked through the windows, chatting among themselves. Boomer caught the words "purple dragon" in their conversation, and watched them run out of the library. Several other Skylanders noticed them, and followed their lead. Boomer walked toward the window, noticing the wave of Skylanders outside. He could just make out the horned helmet of a familiar figure.

"Eon's back," Boomer mused. With a purple dragon, nontheless.

"Are you heading out there?" a familiar voice asked.

Boomer turned his head, noticing that Stump Smash was here. He'd never seen the tree man in the library before. And on that note, Stump Smash looked at him with a friendlier expression than he had yesterday.

"I think I'll wait until the crowd thins out a bit," Boomer decided. "It's safer that way."

"Yeah, I can imagine a few of our friends got trampled on as they got out there."

This came with a chuckle. Stump Smash was even _being_ friendly toward Boomer. This was too freaky. And yet, he knew exactly where this was coming from.

"Don't be nice to me because I did you a solid," Boomer insisted, looking back out the window. "If you want to hate me, then you can. I don't blame you."

Stump Smash walked to Boomer's side. "I was looking for you in here," he said. "I wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday. Eon was gone longer than we thought he'd be, meaning that it would've been a tough wait for poor Slam Bam if you hadn't come to help. You were kind and patient, and that was...different than what I thought I'd find in you."

"...I'm sorry for what my kind did to you. I'm fine if you don't like me."

"But you're not like them, are you?"

Boomer looked back at Stump Smash, flabbergasted. Was the tree man changing his mind about the troll? "I hate them. I don't want anything to do with them, and I don't want to be anything like them."

"Then I can't hate _you,_ now can I?"

Shrug.

"So...thank you, for helping my friend."

Stump Smash turned away from the window, making his way out of the library. Boomer ran after him, blocking his path. He didn't want the tree man to leave just yet.

"Wait, maybe we could hang out for a bit," Boomer suggested. "To get to know one another...as budding aquaintances."

"I guess we could do that, but there's not much for me in here," Stump Smash shrugged, lifting up his mallet hands to explain.

Oh. "I could read to you. That sounds...really weird...right?"

"Nobody's ever read to me before."

"We can look through the Skylander Scrolls, you know, see what everyone else has been up to."

Boomer led Stump Smash to the pile where he had left the scrolls, and this was how they would spend the rest of the day. Somehow, Boomer had changed the tree man's mind about trolls- at least, about Boomer. He was still only one person, but it was a start. And that was all anyone really needed.


	23. Bash: If Only We Had Taller Been

Chapter Twenty-Three: If Only We Had Taller Been

Bash had been left behind again.

He and his friends had been playing hide-and-seek for the past hour, enjoying the rays of the sun. Bash enjoyed days like this. All dragons did, for sure, but on a day like this, he felt as if nothing could stand in his way. That anything was possible.

Then a transport balloon flew over the clouds. That was when his friends abandoned him to go explore it. Bash was the only one at their Dragon Temple without wings, and he was always left behind like this. Nobody counted him as being different, and for that he was thankful- but they also didn't understand that he couldn't do everything they could do.

And today, once again, Bash was left on the ground by himself.

At least the sky was pretty, he thought to himself. A nice, bright shade of blue. The clouds were white and puffy, seeming to pop out from the cerulean backdrop. It almost looked like you could reach out and touch them. What did clouds feel like when you touched them? Did they feel like cotton balls? Silk? Cream? Or maybe their fluffy appearance was deceiving, and they were hard like granite?

Bash climbed to the top of a large grey rock that overlooked the floating island that the Temple rested on. He reached out a paw, reaching out toward the puffy clouds, reaching as far as he could. But his claws only caught air. Just regular, bland air. It didn't feel different, like a cloud might feel. He stood on his haunches, reaching out with both paws. Still he could not reach far enough to touch the clouds. He tried reaching out, standing at the tips of his feet-

And he suddenly tumbled off the rock, falling back on the ground, limbs splayed out in all directions.

He looked back at the rock, back up toward the sky. The clouds still remained in the sky, but he remained stuck on the ground. Bash felt like crying. If only he were taller, then maybe he could have a slim chance of reaching the sky.

Then Bash remembered the way he had tumbled off the rock. He had curled up, tail-to-nose, as if in a wheel. Could he do that again? Bash backed up, as far as he could, and ran toward the rock at full speed. He curled up, spinning off the rock and into the air. The wind whipped past his scales, the air swirling all around. Bash rolled out, reaching a paw toward a cloud he was approaching.

But his speed hadn't been great enough, nor his reach close enough. He just grazed the white puff before he started falling. He plummeted down, past their island home, down to the pits of Skylands. His friends noticed, and they raced toward him, each one grabbing a limb and catching him. They carried him back to the island, each one grunting as they struggled to support Bash's immense weight, before plopping him back onto the grass.

"What did you think you were doing?" the eldest of the group, a yellow dragon named Joules, asked indignantly. "You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"Did you see that!" Bash cheered, his heart still filled with joy and adrenaline. "I flew! By the Ancients, I flew! I almost touched the clouds! Did you guys see that?"

"That's not flying!"

"Of course it's flying, Joules!" an orange dragoness named Kara argued, trying to be supportive. "Why, hasn't it ever occurred to you that all dragons have a different flight pattern?"

The group murmured to themselves.

"So Bash has figured out his flight pattern."

More murmuring came up, before they nodded in agreement.

"But a dragon can sustain his flight," Joules insisted. "That was hardly sustained."

"I'll work on it," Bash promised. "I'll keep practicing, and I'll keep getting stronger. You'll see. One day, I'll be as great a flier as the rest of you, and then we can all fly together!"

And Bash meant every word he had said.

* * *

Over the years, he practiced his flying technique. Every day, he would run up to the giant rock and shoot off, swirling into the air. Sometimes he missed the clouds, having to once again be saved by his friends. Other times he would sail over them completely, landing on the islands just above. It didn't matter to him. Each time, he got closer and closer to actually touching the clouds, reaching forth and feeling them.

And just the sheer _feeling_ of flying filled him with joy. Bash was soaring through the air, cutting through the sky, off to join his friends. There was the feeling of freedom to be felt. In the air, nothing restricted him. He could do whatever he wanted, go wherever he wanted.

At least, he'd be able to once he got the hang of it.

Bash's friends thought he was insane. No dragon could fly like that, they said. Kara remained the most optimistic toward his venture, and soon became the only one who supported him in it. She'd come watch him practice, a smile on her face. That wasn't to say the rest of them didn't come watch. Oh they did- worried that Bash would plummet down the Skylands if they weren't there to save him.

"Why are you guys so doubtful?" Bash asked. "I'm improving. I'm flying better and better every day. Isn't that right, Kara?"

"It's still not a perfect flight, but you are getting better," Kara agreed. "Joules said that a dragon needs to sustain his flight. You're starting to do that."

"Please!" Joules objected. "You call that a sustained flight? He keeps going off course from his intended target. The only thing that's come from this is his rocky skin."

That was true. After years of rolling around on the ground, Bash had grown calluses on his scales. They had toughened up, becoming hard and firm. His horns and spikes had also grown out as a result of this. A change had come onto him after all these years of trying to touch the clouds.

"Listen Bash," Joules began, trying to be sensitive. "I understand that you want to fly with us. I know that you're trying. But maybe you're just...not meant to fly."

"That's crazy-talk," Bash insisted. "Of course I'm meant to fly. All dragons are meant to fly."

"Not all dragons have wings. And not all dragons with wings _can_ fly. They're just not meant to. You're probably not meant to fly, either, Bash. You just have to accept that."

"You're the one who's been against my plan from day one! Why should I listen to you!?"

"I've only been against you because I don't want to see you hurt! All that can come from this is pain. You're safer on the ground. Please, for my sake, just quit while you're ahead."

Murmuring came up from the crowd. Bash looked on. Did it bother them that much when he tried to fly? Were they always scared for his life? Were they sick of watching him torment himself in this way?

"Alright, then," Bash sighed. "I won't do it anymore."

* * *

Another sunny day came. Everyone had decided to head outdoors and enjoy the heat. They were probably playing tag. They were probably playing hide-and-seek, too. Maybe they were even flying in the sky, looking out for balloons and ships.

Bash didn't care what everyone else was up to. He had shut himself inside the Temple, sulking. No more sunny days for him- nowhere in life did he have possibilities. A time would never come when he could do anything he wanted to do, or go anywhere he wanted to go. It just wasn't in the cards for him.

He didn't want to cry about it. But the tears flowed down nonetheless. Bash had spent his whole life reaching out to the sky, trying to touch the clouds. His reach had never been far enough. If only he were taller. But he'd grown up, and he still wasn't tall enough. He would never be tall enough.

Did everyone spend their whole lives reaching for faraway goals? Were they unable to reach? Were they too short to find their way? Could it be possible that everyone had a goal they wanted to reach, but never had the capability to do so? Where could you even find the resolve to complete that goal, then?

Bash stood up. He didn't want to quit. He didn't want to end his days knowing that he'd given up on his goals, knowing that he hadn't even tried. Strength was gained from experience and knowledge. Bash would head out there and try again. Maybe he'd never reach his goal, but he had to try- besides, if he gave up, then he would never know if he could do it.

He ran out of the Temple, excited to try again. Bash kept running out, his excitement slowly ebbing away as his path remained dark rather than sunny as he left. The sunlight usually streamed in through this way. Something was wrong.

Once Bash was outside, he emerged in a scene of chaos. Airships had surrounded the island that the Dragon Temple occupied. The ships carried large nets used to snatch up the dragons from the air. His friends tried to get away, but the ships were too fast for them. There was a strange insignia on the side of the flagship, five lines meeting each other in the form of an ancient sigil.

The Guardians had told them of that symbol. These airships were part of an even larger troll fleet- this armada didn't even make up a sixteenth of the full army. The trolls wanted all opposition toward them eliminated, and the dragons posed a great threat to them- it was necessary to capture all possible dragon forces.

They needed help. Bash was aware of this. But the Guardians were currently away from the Temple, gathering food. There was no way that they could make it back in time to stop this.

Two troll soldiers landed on the island, approaching Bash as quick as lightning. Bash watched as they searched their bags, trying to find a net.

"I thought you said that the Temple was empty," the first troll complained.

"I thought it was. All of the adolescents were out here when we arrived," the second troll insisted. "How was I supposed to know that they'd keep a flightless dragon in such a lofty Dragon Temple?"

Bash ran forward, swiping them with his large tail. The trolls fell to the ground, and he ran from them and toward the giant rock. He got into a circle, rolling forward and launching off the rock. Bash spun in the air, unfurling himself and steering toward an airship. His rock-hard scales penetrated through the hull, right where the prisoners were being kept. Several adult dragons were already here, as well as some of Bash's friends, with Kara among them.

"Is everyone okay?" Bash asked.

"Bash, that was incredible!" Kara gasped. "I didn't know you could do something like _that_!"

"You know me, Kara. I'm full of hidden potential."

Bash slammed his tail on their chains, breaking them- the trolls hadn't expected how strong the Earth dragon's scales would be. The dragons shook the chains off, flying toward the other airships to deal with them.

"That wasn't everyone," Bash quickly realized. "Where's Joules and the others?"

"I'm not sure," Kara admitted. "The trolls divided us when they captured us. I was one of the first, so I didn't see where the rest of our friends were taken. They could be spread out on every single ship in this fleet."

"Then I'm going after them. Kara, I need your help to line up this ship with the next one, and once I'm off, you sink it and get off as quickly as possible."

"I don't know if I can-"

"You have to try. We'll lose our friends if we don't do this."

Kara nodded, flying out of the hole. Bash faced the hole, watching for his current position to line up with his destination. The ship groaned, Bash realizing that Kara was receiving help from some of the adult dragons he had freed. The ship lined up with the next one, and Bash ran forward, curling up and leaping out. As he unfurled, he punched a hole into the next ship, making his way to releasing the dragons. The previous ship had its engines damaged by Kara and the others, sinking as the trolls evacuated.

Time and time again Bash did this. He leapt from one ship to the next, punching through and freeing the dragons. The adult dragons and his friends, once freed, helped to sink the fleet and send the trolls packing. Once the flagship was the only ship left in the air, Joules was the only one of Bash's friends unaccounted for. He had to be on that ship, with some kind of unknown mass of dragon prisoners.

"That ship has been designed to take damage from tough-built Millipede missiles and still keep on fighting," an adult dragon warned Bash. "I don't think you can simply punch through it like the rest of them."

Right, he had to be smart about this. Bash noticed that the flagship was directly beneath a tiny floating island. He could use that as a vantage point. Bash climbed out of the hole and on top of the ship he was on. Explaining his plan, the dragons angled the ship toward the tiny island. The angle met, Bash ran the length of the ship, curled up and launched off. A cloud floated by as he did this, and he punched straight through. It was wet and muggy inside, like a chilly autumn fog. Clouds were just made up of water?

Passing through the cloud, Bash unfurled and skidded onto the island, digging his claws in to catch himself. The flagship was directly underneath the island. If he did this right, he could punch a hole straight through the ship. Bash jumped up, curling and plummeting down toward the ship.

 _Wham!_ He punched through! Level after level, Bash fell with a strong kinetic force, creating holes on each floor of the flagship. He made it to the prisoners in this way, however, he punched a hole through the floor as well, making an opening toward the outside in this way. It was a wide hole, and Bash found himself slowly sliding out of it as he tried to hold on. Yellow paws grabbed onto his- Joules' paws!

"Hang on, Bash! I've got you!" Joules panted, struggling to hold Bash's weight. "Everything will be-"

"You're okay!" Bash cried. "I was worried about what they'd done to you!"

They stayed like this for several minutes, with Joules trying to hold on to Bash. Bash tried to swing himself up, but this only made things worse as it dragged down Joules as well. But at least Joules would be fine, Bash figured, since he was chained up just like the rest of them. Bash was going to fall, and the freed prisoners were too occupied with the previous troll ship to help!

Suddenly, strange blue metal hands grabbed onto their paws. Troll hands! Bash and Joules froze up, fearful for their lives. This let the troll hoist Bash up, taking the full weight away from Joules. The Earth dragon was quickly set back onto the ship, and he got a better look at this troll. The troll was a strange, ugly creature, with blue cybernetics replacing his limbs, and orange hair covering most of his body. He was grinning from ear to pointed ear, a maniacal look in his eyes.

"That was a great _boom!_ you made!" the troll said.

"Now you just stay back," Bash warned him. "I know I'm stronger than you."

The troll pointed to the ground, motioning for Bash and Joules to look there. They did, noticing with great surprise that the chain on Joules's leg was breaking apart. The chain was faulty. The rest of the dragons were looking at their chains in the same manner- _all_ of the chains were faulty!

"You're welcome!" the troll grinned. Alarms were soon blaring on the ship, ordering an evacuation. The troll motioned a finger to his mouth in a _shh!_ sign, before a kind of blue magic enveloped him and caused him to vanish.

Bash and Joules looked at each other, flabbergasted. That's how Skylanders were said to teleport away. Was it possible that the troll had been a _Skylander_!?

"Erm, we should go," Bash decided.

"Yeah," Joules agreed. "Need help getting out?"

"That would be nice, please."

Joules grabbed Bash's front leg, motioning for the other prisoners to come by. They did, holding onto Bash and carrying him out of the ship. The dragons flew onto the island where the Dragon Temple was, where the rest of the prisoners were gathered. The flagship's engines were taken out by the remaining dragons, and it fell from the sky as the remaining marker of a devastated fleet.

Bash was released from the grip of the dragons as they touched the grass. Joules stood next to him, the rest of their friends gathering by. Bash collected himself and sat up straight. His gaze turned serious as he looked at Joules.

"Is everyone safe?" he asked.

They all nodded.

"Guess what, Joules? I actually _touched_ a cloud! Punched right through it!"

"...I can imagine," Joules gasped.

"Did you know that clouds are mostly water? Well, I guess you did, since you've been flying for a long time."

"I did know that."

"Joules, I understand that you're worried for me. I know you see nothing but danger in my endeavor, and you want me to be safe. But I'm not giving up on this. I know I can fly. And if I have my friends supporting me, I know I'll make it."

Joules smiled, insisting, "And you made it, Bash. You actually flew."

 **Title for this chapter comes from the poem "If Only We Had Taller Been" by Ray Bradbury. I think it's about space travel or something similar.**


	24. Swarm: Road Companion

**Remember the two-parter chapter I did? Well here's me getting back to Swarm and where he disappeared off to.**

Chapter Twenty-Four: Road Companion

Swarm had flown for days. He was aware of only that. He wasn't sure where he was, or how much time had exactly gone by. His adrenaline was too high for that. He just knew that he had to get away from that lab. All that Swarm needed to do was find a safe place to hide and wait for the Giants to find him.

Was it even safe to stop now? He didn't know. This whole world held danger in it.

His eyes shut momentarily, opening again when he realized that he was falling. Oh heck! Swarm flapped his wings once more, just as he hit trees. His timing was too slow to avoid them, and he crashed, tumbling down. He collapsed onto the forest floor, limbs aching, but otherwise safe from injury. Only now did his incredible fatigue register to him. Flying for days, without food, without rest.

Nevertheless, he picked himself up off the ground, limping north. Swarm couldn't stop just yet. Not without a place to hide. So he kept pressing forward, trudging past the undergrowth. He gave his wings a quick flap, groaning at how sore they were. Firelight could be seen toward his left as he moved on, so Swarm trudged in that direction in the hopes of finding an actual shelter. Maybe whoever was in this forest beside himself knew how to avoid the Arkeyans.

But when Swarm reached the source of the firelight, he didn't find a simple campfire.

He found a slumbering fire golem with a flaming head.

That's definitely what the creature was. A fire golem. They were approximately the same gigantic size, so the golem was no immediate threat to Swarm. The Arkeyans that had captured the wasp weeks ago were much bigger than he, creating a more difficult struggle. These were dangerous times to be alone, he knew. Everyone talked about how stragglers in the woods were immediately captured by the robot overlords. If the fire golem felt safe sleeping out here, there couldn't be an immediate threat to their danger, right?

Swarm touched a hand to the golem's shoulder. That warmth alone made him feel drowsy. He shook the fire golem gently, whispering, "Hey, can I speak with you for a moment?"

The fire golem woke. Feeling threatened, he stood up and faced Swarm in a menacing position. Flames danced on his body. Swarm found himself collapsing to the ground, falling on his abdomen. His heart thudded in his chest, and he feared that the fire golem would kill him.

"No no no! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Swarm gasped, holding his hands up. "I'm not trying to hurt you! I just needed to ask you a question!"

The flames died down on the golem's body, the one on his head remaining. He let out a sigh. "Right, you're just a simple tourist," he grumbled. "All you tourists are good for is ruining my sleep. What are you, anyway?"

"A-a wasp. My name is Swarm."

The fire golem chuckled. "A wasp? No, can't be. Wasps are tiny. For me, squishing a wasp would be no problem."

"I can't explain it."

"Alright, so you're a wasp. What do you need me for? Need info on the flora? Fauna? The best place for a massage?"

"Are the Arkeyans a living threat in this area?"

The fire golem sat down, this time laughing more than chuckling. "I wouldn't say a 'living' threat. No, I took care of them. They ran away from here with their tails between their legs. That should tell the Arkeyans not to mess with this island for a while."

Oh, that was good. "That's all I needed. I won't bother you again."

Swarm pushed himself up, intending to press on. His arms wobbled, and he collapsed onto the ground. Now he knew how much his limbs felt like jelly, and there was no more pressing on at this point with that knowledge at hand. This seemed apparent to the fire golem, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Swarm must've looked like he'd flown into the center of a tornado.

"Hey, don't hurt yourself," the golem decided. "Sleep here tonight."

"Are you sure?" Swarm mumbled.

"Yeah."- the golem set his arms on his knees, and that's where his forehead rested- "Just leave me alone."

Swarm found that he wasn't contented just yet. "What's your name?"

The golem lifted his head slightly. "That's on a need-to-know basis."

"Well...I 'need' to know because I um...want...to say good night."

"Oh jeez!"

"I just don't feel right without saying it."

"Fine. It's Hot Head."

He smiled slightly.

"Don't giggle."

"Sorry."

No comment.

Swarm's eyes slid closed. "Good night, Hot Head..."

"Yeah yeah, good night."

* * *

 _Electricity flowed through Swarm's entire body. Electricity, or something of the sort- he wasn't sure. He was too stressed out to decipher what it was, however. Pain filled every part of his being, and Swarm screamed as the sparks traveled up his spine. Tears flowed down his face, saliva dribbled down his chin, and blood dripped from his nose- this had gone on for a while._

 _It only ceased when the red-and-yellow metal man turned off the machine he was hooked up to._

 _"I will ask again," the metal man growled. "Tell us what you know about the Arkeyan defector. Where he lives. How he orders you 'Skylanders' around, everything."_

 _Swarm panted, tasting blood above his lip. They'd been interrogating him for hours, asking him nonsense questions. "I don't know a defector," he insisted. "I literally know nothing."_

 _The metal man pulled the switch down again, and the pain returned. The next time the switch went up, Swarm felt himself on the verge of blacking out. He could almost hear a voice speak to him._

 _Perhaps beckoning him to some kind of afterlife._

 _His growth had been unnatural for a wasp. Impossible, even. Swarm thought that this torture session would finally give his heart more than it could handle._

 _Swarm's senses quickly recovered enough to keep aware of the current situation. The strange voice came in clearly- saying "I'm so happy you're okay." That wasn't a wish for death. That was a prayer for the wasp's survival._

 _From his old friend, Swarm decided._

 _Clicking on a panel was heard. Swarm couldn't see what the metal man was doing- it was already too dark in this room. When the metal man returned to the switch, his voice became even colder._

 _"Tell us what we need to hear," he said, "or this next shock will be the very last thing you feel in your miserable life."_

 _Swarm kept his teeth gritted. That threat meant nothing- he'd been prepared to die for months. "Screw you!" he spat._

 _The metal man prepared to pull the switch down, ready to end Swarm's life-_

 _"My liege!" a voice shouted. Another metal man opened the door, the flooding light blinding Swarm. He stepped up next to the first metal man._

 _"Can't you see I'm busy?" the metal man, the 'Liege', spat._

 _"Sir, we've reviewed the information we have on previous sightings of these 'Skylander' pests," the newcomer explained. "None of them fit the description of the prisoner right here."_

 _"So he really_ does _know nothing."_

 _"Affirmative."_

 _"Kill him anyway. We'll do it in the courtyard, where the rest of the slaves can watch. They might not know who all are acting as 'Skylanders' so it will not matter. This creature can be made an example of, to show them why you should not mess with the Arkeyans!"_

* * *

Swarm had hated everything about this new world when he'd first emerged from his old hive. That had slowly changed, as he saw how beautiful it could actually be. Then he began hating how hypocritical everyone could be. He remembered his scheduled execution, and how angry the slaves were at him- they'd hated him before because he was a scary-looking beast, and they hated him at that moment because they knew he wasn't a Skylander and thus, wanted nothing to do with them. Couldn't they make up their minds?

Over the past few weeks, he'd learned not to hate the people. They were forced into this kind of situation.

No, the Arkeyans deserved all of his hatred toward them, for everything they had done.

A warm smell hit Swarm's nose the next morning. It was like some kind of food thing, and it made his stomach growl. Oh, his stomach felt so empty. Swarm opened his eyes, noticing that the fire golem, the "Hot Head", had gathered fish on a stake and was roasting them above the flame on his head. Swarm couldn't help but giggle, thinking of how cute it was.

"Oh hey, look who's up," Hot Head greeted him. "Figures that food would be the only thing to get you up."

"You tried to wake me before?" Swarm yawned, rubbing an eye.

"You've reached the end of my hospitality. I was trying to get you up so you would finally leave, but apparently you were dead tired. Then I thought that food would rouse you, and decided that _this_ would be the end of my hospitality."

"You made me breakfast?"

"Hope you've enjoyed your stay at Casa del Hot Head- now get out of here."

The stick was handed to Swarm, the fish steaming on it. Swarm bit off one part of a fish, and then he began wolfing them down. He didn't mind that the scales had been left on them, or that the bones were still inside- everything eventually went into his gullet. Swarm noticed Hot Head watching him, a fearful look in his eyes.

"What?" Swarm asked.

"Oh, I just had a sudden, bad thought," Hot Head stammered. "You're not going to...you know... _die_ after eating those fish, are you? I should've asked that first."

 _You're not going to die, are you?_ The question hit Swarm in the chest. His family had asked that before he left, wondering if his growth spurt would kill him. Someone else had died from the same thing, and since Swarm was a prince, that concern was raised tenfold. He told them that this wasn't the same, and somehow, he knew he would survive that growth.

"I'm fine," Swarm promised Hot Head. "Unless the fish is poisoned. But you wouldn't want that, would you?"

Hot Head sighed with relief.

"Why do you care? You want me gone."

"Not _gone_ gone. I'm not like those Arkeyans, alright? I hate them."

"Me too!"

"That's not anything special, kid. Most non-Arkeyans hate Arkeyans."

"Well they don't exactly make it hard."

This brought about laughter in Hot Head. Swarm noticed that the fire golem was smiling. Genuinely smiling. Before now, he'd always put on a tough exterior, absolutely refusing to show weakness.

"What have the Arkeyans done to you that brought about your hatred to them?"

The laughter stopped, Hot Head's glare returning.

"Got it, personal business. Sorry."

"You're not a Skylander, are you? I don't need that kind of trouble in my home."

"I'm not a Skylander yet. I only worked with them on one mission, and then we got separated. The Arkeyans aren't following me, if that's what you're worried about."

"I suppose you worked out this whole 'Skylander' deal before you got 'separated' from them, huh?"

"They said I'd be safer if I fled the scene before I officially became a Skylander. Probably didn't want the Arkeyans to associate me with them just yet. I was actually supposed to hide somewhere and wait for them to find me. Who knows where they are at this point?"

Swarm got up, walking in the direction he had come from last night. That was his best bet at finding the Giants again. Surely they knew how strong he was. They had to be seeking him at this very moment. Maybe he could find them first. As he walked, he was aware that Hot Head was following him. Swarm turned around to see him, noting that the fire golem seemed worried.

"...It's dangerous out there," Hot Head explained. "It would be selfish of me to just send you off into the unknown."

"I've been fine on my own for the past few months," Swarm insisted. "And I know this whole situation makes you uncomfortable-"

"You can't stop me."

So they continued together, Swarm secretly admitting to himself that he was happy to have a companion.

* * *

Hot Head was an interesting guy. He seemed to say one thing when he meant something entirely different. He liked his distance, though he stayed close to Swarm on more than one occasion. (Hot Head insisted that it was to keep Swarm safe, but the wasp knew that this whole endeavor made him nervous.) It was like the fire golem couldn't admit something to himself over the days they traveled together, though his temper flared up when Swarm tried to ask questions.

Swarm actually saw his old friend Dax in Hot Head. Dax had been a great friend...or maybe a brother? Swarm had so many brothers, he had no idea which of his peers _wasn't_ related to him. It didn't matter- Dax was basically a brother, and much better than the brothers he _did_ know about. While Dax liked to stay by himself most of the time, he enjoyed Swarm's company, and they often got into trouble together. Of course, Swarm knew that Hot Head was nothing like his old friend- the fire golem was much too secretive for that.

Maybe he was just projecting? Because he'd been alone for so long?

For a while, he didn't think of that. He was just glad to have some company for once.

It happened one night that Swarm noticed footprints in the ground on a grassy island that he and Hot Head had come to. The tracks were small (compared to Giants like them,) but Swarm immediately knew who they belonged to. Arkeyan soldiers, much like the ones at the laboratory he'd been imprisoned in. What was over there? What could the Arkeyans be interested in on a backwater island like this?

Swarm followed the prints, looking for where the Arkeyan soldiers had been going. Hot Head followed behind, the flame golem's nervousness becoming more apparent. Eventually they found a small village among a few boulders, with Mabu happily attending their daily activities. Not a single Arkeyan was in sight.

"The Mabu don't even _look_ like they're in danger," Swarm pondered. "But the prints are fresh. Why did the Arkeyans even come by here?"

"Those soldiers were probably scouting the area to see what they could find before bringing their forces here."

"But the island's too small to set up a lab or factory, and there are very few mineral resources to be had. There's nothing here that the Arkeyans could want except..."

"Potential slaves?"

A few Mabu glanced at the Giants. Some of them had wary looks on their faces. Maybe they were scared of Swarm, just like everyone else was. It was also very likely that they were afraid of Hot Head- even the flame golem knew that he was a threatening figure. Had these villagers even seen Arkeyans snooping around? Did they now just realize that their idyllic lives could come to an end at any moment?

"We should go," Hot Head decided. "Get out before the Arkeyans come here in larger numbers. How much do you know about the power of those psychotic madmen?"

"More than I'd like to admit," Swarm muttered.

"Then you know that they also have the power to capture someone at _our_ size. _And_ you know the size of the forces sent out to capture people for enslavement. We still have time, so we should-"

"You really _are_ a coward!"

Hot Head stepped back, surprised at Swarm's tone of voice. Swarm had surprised himself as well, but he was too angry to care. The Skylanders knew the dangers. All the same, they were willing to jump into danger to save people. He remembered how Dax would stick his neck out to keep him out of trouble. This flame golem was nothing like them.

"You sense danger coming to this island," Swarm continued angrily, "and instead of wanting to protect those that can't protect themselves, you yearn to save your own hide! Survival of the fittest- that's your motto, isn't it? Would you abandon _me_ if you thought it would save your life?"

"The only reason I'm even _out_ here is to cover your hide!" Hot Head argued. "I had secured my home, made it perfect for living a nice, easy life, and then you come along wanting to be a hero and joining those idiot Skylanders! Just a stupid, stupid kid, trying to make his own way in the world! I decided to help him find his hero friends, or at least make sure he doesn't die before he finds them! We can't stop the Arkeyans- they're much too powerful, and they're bound to enslave all of us if we don't get away!"

"That's exactly _why_ we have to help! If we can't stop them, then we have to make sure the people stay safe! I can do something here! So can you, but you'd rather run off without me!"

"I wouldn't abandon you, kid!"

"You know what I want! Would you _die_ for me if you thought it would keep me safe?"

No comment.

Swarm could feel his heart breaking. He didn't reply.

The wind picked up. They could hear the spinning of rotor blades- Arkeyan Autogyro blades. To the west, a fleet of the Autogyros had arrived, larger than necessary for capturing potential slaves, but very much effective in getting the job done. In a minute, foot soldiers would be hopping out of the Autogyros in order to complete their job. This was Swarm's stand. It was now or never.

"You don't know what I've been through, kid," Hot Head said darkly. "What those Arkeyan monsters have done to me. How they've made me suffer. I _have_ to hide, if only to preserve my life. That's all I have left."

"And you don't know what _I've_ been through," Swarm concluded. "I can assure you that I've suffered much worse. I have nothing but my life left, too. But it's not about me, and it's not necessarily about defeating the Arkeyans. If I can keep that same kind of suffering from being afflicted onto some other hapless soul, then I know my life meant something."

"You don't care if you die?"

"A life without risk isn't worth living."

And Swarm took off, leaping into the air and flying after the armada. He rushed through, punching wave after wave of Autogyro out of the air. He shot barbed stingers at some of the falling soldiers, ensuring that they never reached the ground to carry out their mission. Slash and sting he went, zipping through the air at each Autogyro he came into contact with. But there were just too many Autogyros to take care of. For every one that Swarm shot down, ten of them were still up to allow soldiers to fall to the ground.

Luckily, he wasn't alone.

At one point in his struggle, Swarm detected a whiff of smoke in the air, the scent growing stronger as time went. While the regular tang of the smoke itself was there, he also smelled some sticky, musty scent, stronger than the exhaust coming from the Autogyros. Swarm looked at the ground, noticing flames sitting on the grass. Hot Head was all fired up, (literally,) torching the foot soldiers and dowsing them with a thick black substance, setting that on fire. A barricade of flames had been made around the village, leaving only one entrance open so the Mabu could flee for safety.

Swarm watched him, distracted, surprised. Had his words gotten through to Hot Head?

A grapple attached itself to Swarm's ankle. Three more attached themselves to his other ankle and his wrists. Swarm turned his head to his right, noticing two Autogyros with green colors painted above the windshields. The Autogyros flew away from him, keeping the grapples on, stretching his limbs out so he couldn't move. Swarm tried desperately to shoot a barb at the Autogyros grappling his arms, but they fell weakly off the solid hulls.

These specific ships were designed to capture Giants.

The same kind that had captured Swarm before.

Sparks traveled down the grapples, and as soon as they reached Swarm, the pain was all he knew. It traveled through his entire body, running down his spine, sitting in his gut, pulling at his heart. He felt himself flash back to his torture session, where that Arkeyan Liege guy just kept pulling that lever down to deliver the shock again and again and again. Swarm cried out, afraid that struggling would make this endeavor worse.

"Swarm! You have to do something! I can't reach you!" a voice called out- Hot Head's voice.

That voice brought Swarm back to reality. He stopped screaming, looking down at the ground. Hot Head had left his spot, running up to the Autogyros that had captured him mid-air. The fire golem was desperately jumping up into the air, trying to shoot fire at the Autogyros in the hopes of getting them away. But the airships were too high up for him to reach, and the foot soldiers had directed their attention to him, hounding him down and grabbing onto his body.

Swarm had to help him. That meant helping himself.

The wasp lifted his head, closing his eyes. He caught his breath, keeping that steady as the pain kept up. He eased his muscles, relaxing. The pain was no longer evident, Swarm making sure that his breath remained in that same steady pace. Instead of the pain, he could feel a kind of magic inside of him- the same kind that had caused him to grow to this size, he realized.

He was connected with this magic, and would always be, no matter what.

Swarm took in another breath, and let it out, using the magic to free himself by splitting apart.

The grapples fell down, retracting into their specialized aircrafts when the pilots realized that they had lost their victim. Swarm could see this- from many different angles. He felt his spirit in several thousand tiny wasp bodies, all witnessing the same thing, all feeling the same thing, but all in different positions.

These Tiny Swarms could go anywhere.

So he commanded them to.

He spread them out everywhere, each group attacking at least one Autogyro each. The Tiny Swarms took control of the aircrafts, crashing them into the ground. After that, they left to take control of another Autogyro. Hot Head, now without the burden of trying to save Swarm, was able to get the Arkeyan foot soldiers off his back. They were broiled in fire that rose from his body, and Hot Head chased off the remaining soldiers from the crashed Autogyros. In no time at all, the area was clear, foot soldiers fleeing for their lives. They wouldn't dare come here again.

"Hey kid, mind showing yourself?" Hot Head asked. "You almost have me worried."

"Almost?" the Tiny Swarms smirked.

The Tiny Swarms gathered near the ground. As soon as they were all accounted for, they merged back into one. Swarm regained his full consciousness and body, staggering forward slightly. He could still feel the magic inside of him, and with that knowledge, he knew it would never go away. And he was happy about that.

"Well, of course I knew you had it covered the minute you turned into itty bitty bugs," Hot Head scoffed.

"There's nothing wrong with being worried," Swarm promised him. "But I thought you wanted to get out of here."

"Right, cuz you were doing so well without me."

"Alright, fine."

* * *

The flames died out hours later. Many burnt up patches of the black stuff remained, as they would for a long while. The village, with the outskirts slightly scorched, was intact. The Mabu villagers returned, looking for the two Giants that they knew had saved their lives. They weren't the 'Skylanders' that everyone had heard from the rumors, yet they seemed to seek that kind of title. They had to be congratulated.

But Swarm and Hot Head were long gone by the time anyone decided to seek them out. They walked on, hopping to the next island, content with saving the village. Swarm listened to Hot Head babble about what they did, smiling half-heartedly as they walked. They were staying together after all- he had feared that Hot Head would leave him once they found the Giants. That should've made him happy, but he just couldn't feel it.

"...And I thought to myself, 'Well I don't know how to fight, at least not in this kind of way', and that nearly deterred me from the battle," Hot Head blathered on. "Then I just decided that it had to be the same way I chased the Arkeyans off my island- just wave my arms around like a madman, shooting fire and oil everywhere. I really think that's the best form of fighting."

Nod.

"Before today, I never imagined I could do something like this. I always thought I would die if I ever tried to attack an armada like that head on. I mean, I could always die, but it might not happen in the ways I thought. Am I just too awesome or what?"

"Double H for the win," Swarm said meekly.

"Yeah man! Say, do you really think I'm a good fit for these Skylanders? I mean, what if they're looking for something more in me than what I can give them?"

"You're more than good, Hot Head. The Skylanders aren't looking for anything special. They just want allies who are willing to help for the good of the people. And they're not perfect, either. Random creatures, some who would never associate with one another in normal circumstances, others who have never fought in battle until this union, have come together to try and save the world."

"It _is_ amazing, I'll grant you that."

"That's what their name means. Skylanders- those who have united together for the good of everyone in Skylands."

"Your whale friend tell you that?"

"He'll be your friend, too."

"We're just going to blow them all away with our awesomeness. Think about it. Hot Head- the angry fire golem who will boil you in oil of you get on his mean side or pick on his friends. Swarm- the giant wasp who will sting you or tear you apart with his little friends if you hurt the innocent. Together, they are Skylanders!"

"You really _are_ serious about this. What made you change your mind?"

Hot Head shrugged. "Watching you go out there," he began, "hardly thinking of your own safety as you sought the safety of others, it made me realize that I was tired of running and hiding. I wanted to _do_ something about those awful Arkeyans. I wanted to stop being a coward in the hopes of being a fifth as brave as those Skylanders. Maybe our quest is fruitless, but I don't care- we'll never know unless we try."

Swarm stopped in his tracks, aware that something was caught inside himself. "Hot Head...," he stammered.

"Yeah?" the flame golem asked, concerned.

Swarm leapt toward Hot Head, wrapping him in one tight hug. He wanted to tell the flame golem about everything he had gone through- his prison ordeal, his execution scare, his time spent as a guinea pig, everything. But he only sobbed, tears flowing down his face. The threat of liquid dousing his flames didn't deter Hot Head, and the flame golem hugged the wasp back.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"...Just don't go anywhere, if you can help it," Swarm begged him. "Stay for as long as you can. I don't want to be alone anymore!"

"You've been alone for a long time, haven't you?"

Swarm stopped sobbing, just allowing his tears to come out. His crippling loneliness was apparent. That one thing was apparent. No matter how much pain had been inflicted on him, or how much he had suffered, nothing could ever be worse for him than being alone.

"I've been alone for months," Swarm pouted. "It started when my friend died. He went through a growth spurt, too, but his heart couldn't take it, and...that was the first time I ever felt alone. Then the same growth spurt happened to me- I lived, but I couldn't stay with my family. I've been roaming around for months, rejected from town after town, and all I could think was 'I want to have my family back. I want to have my friend Dax back.' I miss him so much. I miss them so much."

Hot Head had started rubbing Swarm's back. "And your family's still alive, which makes it all the more painful as you can't go back," he understood. "You really cared about Dax, didn't you?"

"I swore I could hear his voice one night. I'm not sure what it was- maybe just his spirit or something of the sort- and it said 'I'm so happy you're okay.' He wanted for me to survive that growth spurt."

They stood like this for several minutes. While the tears kept flowing, Swarm could feel a weight in his chest disappear. He hadn't even been aware of a weight. Perhaps with everything going on in the past few weeks, he had become numb to it. With it going away, he felt a bit better.

"Oh, you poor kid," Hot Head sighed. "You poor kid. No one should have to go through that. I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to say that," Swarm insisted. "Nothing to do about it, anyway."

"You never have to be alone again. I promise I won't go anywhere. Those Arkeyans can't take down Double H without a fight, I assure you. And you'll have all those Skylander dudes on your side as well. Heck, that's five people that you'll have in your brand-new family. It won't replace your old one, but it'll be there in this great big world. You'll never be alone."

Swarm pulled away from him, wiping the tears off. He smiled, enjoying the idea of gaining a family with Hot Head and the Skylanders.

"It's getting a bit dark out, don't you think?" Hot Head decided. "Would be good for you to get some shut eye. I'll take first watch. Does that sound okay?"

"Can I lay near you?" Swarm asked.

"Sure."

Hot Head sat up against a tall pine tree. Swarm sat near him, settling on his back. The sky ahead was tinted red with mixes of pink and purple thrown in. Maybe if he squinted hard enough, he could see a few of the stars come out. Yes, the world of Skylands really could be beautiful, and Swarm smiled about that.

"Are you going to say good night?" Hot Head asked quietly.

"I thought you found that annoying," Swarm questioned him.

"Well, I've gotten used to it. I haven't had family in a long time, either. It feels good knowing someone is going to say good night to you."

Swarm turned on his side, eyes shut. "Good night, Hot Head," he yawned.

"Good night, kid."

 **The nickname at the end comes from the game _Beyond Good and Evil._ I connected a few dots and couldn't help myself.**


	25. Bouncer: Being Human

**Sorry I was gone so long. End of the school year and all that.**

 **This is the big quarter chapter. My story has twenty five chapters up to this point. This chapter is...nothing that special, to be honest. It actually takes place a few chapters before the big story I was working with for the Giants.**

 **And this isn't the end. I believe I'll be working on this story for a long while to come.**

Chapter Twenty-Five: Being Human

 _Security Unit 564 roamed down the corridors of the mine, back and forth, day after day. The Mabu slaves chipped away at the stone, digging for minerals that could be used to make metals for robot manufacturing. A few of the slaves tried to sneak away- the security droid shot a warning laser from its eyes toward them, just above their heads, getting them back to work. One Mabu collapsed from exhaustion- the security droid picked him up and set him on the pulley back to the surface. It cared not what happened to him. He had a job to do._

 _The security droid felt something kick its wheel. It looked down, finding that another one of the Mabu had left his post. Insubordination was against the rules. Didn't these tiny creatures realize that the security droid was capable of hurting them far worse than what the King would do to them?_

 _"Get back in line," the droid said. "Failure to cooperate will result in immediate extermination."_

 _"What happened to the Bouncer we used to know?" the Mabu cried. "You used to be a hero! Now you're really lame! You're lame and evil!"_

 _"Failure to cooperate will result in immediate extermination."_

 _"Don't you remember Roboto Ball? Yeah, you were the champion. You dunked the Roboto Ball away from Gordo Rocket in last year's tournament. And it was you who saved our lives when one of the balls exploded mid-air."_

 _"Just get back in line!" another Mabu begged him. "He doesn't remember. I think they wiped his memory."_

 _The Mabu was adamant, and continued, "You're our hometown hero. You even helped get a few of us out when the Arkeyans destroyed our home. I know you're still in there, Bouncer. Nobody can eliminate a bright heart like yours!"_

 _The security droid prepared to fire its lasers once more, but the things that the Mabu had said triggered something inside of it. "Roboto Ball?" "Bouncer?" It had heard of those things. But Roboto Ball was an illegal sport- a dead sport, now that absolutely no one played it. And the droid was familiar with an Arkeyan named Bouncer, but he had died in the village where that Mabu had lived._

 _Right?_

 _"They wiped your memories," the Mabu persisted. "But I know you still have them. C'mon Bouncer, think deep!"_

 _It was. It had found information lost in its main core. Memories. It saw itself on some kind of field, playing with one of the aforementioned Roboto Balls. Match after match it went, beating several opponents to the kick. The Gordo Rocket Arkeyan was among these memories, and the security droid defeated him in the game._

 _"Yes?" the Mabu whimpered._

 _Of course._

 _"What...what am I...?" the robot stammered._

 _"Yes!" the Mabu gasped with delight._

He _was Bouncer!_

 _"What have I done!?" Bouncer cried._

 _"Oh my gosh, Norticus, you did it!" a Mabu at the top of the mines cheered, leading in the cheering of the slaves._

 _"...I'm a monster...," Bouncer stammered, thinking of all the atrocities he'd commited while he was down here. How could he just_ forget _all of his memories? How had the Arkeyan generals done this? He tried searching his memory database, but that memory was completely gone. There was nothing on that. Bouncer could've lost all of this. He could've lost himself._

 _"It's not too late," Norticus insisted. "You're back now. You have a chance to save us. All of us."_

 _Bouncer would make sure he would. He would make sure nothing like this happened ever again._

* * *

"Skylanders!"

The shout roused Bouncer from his slumber. He had hidden on an island that contained a rock quarry, with his new friend Tree Rex having taken watch. How long ago had it been since Bouncer had freed the slaves? A month or two, at least. He was still in hiding, having defected from the Arkeyans with the return of his old memories. The robot was worried that Tree Rex would get in trouble if the Arkeyans found them, but he was thankful to have company.

"What kind of jibberish are you spouting off, now?" Bouncer grumbled tiredly.

"I was just thinking of names for our little group," Tree Rex explained. "You know, like gang names. Something we can tell the Arkeyans when we destroy their factories and armies."

"To stick it to them?"

Nod.

"Tree Rex, I think right now is not the time to bring attention to ourselves. We don't need a name. That will just tell the Arkeyans who to look for."

"But the people need someone to look up to. They need to know that they're not alone in this situation, that someone's going to help them."

"All I'm saying is that we should wait. I told you I was on the run. If the Arkeyans heard of the two of us attacking them together, they might destroy me, and you would get in trouble for associating with me. I don't want that to happen to you. Just wait for now."

"How long?"

"I don't know. Maybe when I feel like I'm not being hunted down."

Tree Rex nodded, slumping his shoulders in disappointment.

"Speaking of being on the run, we should keep going."

"The sun hasn't risen, yet."

"I don't care."

Bouncer led the way, heading out into the quarry. Tree Rex followed close behind, much like a duckling would follow his mother. It was funny. On the first day they met, Tree Rex had wanted to destroy Bouncer. The robot didn't blame him- the tree seemed new to this world, and only recognized that all Arkeyans were evil. At this time now, Tree Rex sought companionship and comfort in Bouncer.

"It is a good name, thought, right?" Tree Rex continued.

"What, 'Skylanders'?" Bouncer replied. "Yeah. Rolls of the tongue. What does it mean?"

Shrug.

Of course. The cave-tree still had no idea that names could mean things. Heck, Bouncer wasn't so sure that Tree Rex fully understood what names were. Sometimes the robot would call him over to do something, and it would take him a minute to register it- like he would think, "Oh right, that's my name!" Bouncer had figured out almost immediately how young Tree Rex really had to be, though sometimes he forgot that it was him teaching the cave-tree all of these facts of life.

They walked through the quarry, swerving past the towers of rocks stacked onto one another. As the sun rose, they discovered a grassy island just below the island that the quarry was on. A factory was seen here, patrolled by tiny Arkeyan soldiers. While Bouncer didn't see any Autogyros that could be used for getting up here, he could understand that they'd be nearby- with all the minerals in the quarry, why else would the Arkeyans build a factory down there?

"Perfect! They don't expect us!" Tree Rex whispered, beaming. "I'm going down there."

"Wait!" Bouncer warned him, grabbing his shoulder. It was then that Bouncer saw the robots carry something out of the factory. It was some kind of flying vessel, the top open to the sky, with some sparkly purple substance seen inside. The only material with the same kind of sparkle that he recognized was Radiance Crystal- but this stuff was in liquid form.

"Okay, you aim straight for the factory," Bouncer told Tree Rex. "I'll try to take out their transport ships."

Tree Rex nodded, leaping off the island, his fist held up for attack. Bouncer followed suit, aiming for the ships. He landed wheel-first on the ground, with a _thud!_ and aimed his finger-guns at the robots. Down they went, missile after missile. He saw the factory fall apart, flattened by the force of the cave-tree's landing. At first, Tree Rex couldn't be seen beneath the rubble, so Bouncer kept to his own work of destroying the transport ships and making sure the robots didn't recover them. Then, in another instant, Tree Rex emerged, screaming in pain, covered in the purple substance that allowed mushrooms to grow on his limbs.

That symptom was familiar, almost like his former superiors torturing captives.

"Tree Rex!" Bouncer gasped, running to his friend's aid. It was a curse attacking Tree Rex. It had to be. But he'd never seen anything like it.

Someone else beat Bouncer to the punch. Seemingly out of nowhere, another Giant came forth to attack the factory. It had a black-armored body with brass highlights strewn about, particularly on the knuckles, with a giant winged eyeball sitting where the head should be. The two of them detached, with the eyeball coming to Tree Rex's aid by shooting the fungi off him, while the headless body attacked the rest of the factory and sent the robots scrambling. Bouncer paused in his path to Tree Rex, deciding to destroy the rest of the transport ships- though leaving one still standing, for observation's sake. The Arkeyans weren't going to go after it this time- it was far too dangerous.

With the rest of the Arkeyans fleeing, Bouncer decided to see if Tree Rex needed any more help. The flying eyeball saw him racing toward them, and shot a laser at him. The robot was chased off, trying to avoid the lasers sent his way. The eyeball attacked him relentlessly, wishing to see this robot die with the rest of them. The headless giant ran in between the two, hands held up to defend Bouncer.

"Get out of the way, Headless," the eyeball growled. "He's one of them."

"But he's not one of them!" Tree Rex begged the eyeball. "He's my friend!"

Everyone turned toward Tree Rex. The cave-tree staggered on his feet. While mushrooms couldn't be seen, he was still in considerable pain. Bouncer snuck away from the flying eyeball and headless giant, helping Tree Rex up and supporting him. They eyeball didn't poise himself to attack again.

"I'm so sorry, Tree Rex," Bouncer sighed with guilt. "I should've known what was in there."

"What is that stuff?" Tree Rex gasped.

"I'm not sure."

"Then you shouldn't have known. Don't beat yourself up."

The eyeball sat back in the missing spot on the headless giant's shoulders. "It's called Radiance," the eyeball began. "You collect it from the crystals of their namesake. Grind up the crystals, and you get a kind of potion that has multiple uses. You haven't heard of it, Arkeyan?"

Bouncer shook his head. Why, he'd never heard of simple Radiance before. Right? Unless that was something that the Arkeyans had eliminated from his databanks in order to make him complient.

"And you're the tree man's friend? Maybe I _can_ trust you."

"My name is Bouncer," the robot replied. "This is my friend Tree Rex."

"I'm Eye-Brawl. The Giant I'm sitting on right now is referred to as Headless. We've been traveling together for a while, observing the Arkeyans and seeing how we can put a stop to their evil. It looks like now was the perfect opportunity to come out of hiding. You want to stop them, too?"

Nod.

"Then forgive me for attacking you?"

"Oh, it's fine. It's not like you have any reason to think I'm on your side."

"Your friend will need some time to recuperate. You can take him to a shelter that Headless and I made which is not too terribly far from here. Let that be a start to me making things up to you."

* * *

Bouncer and Eye-Brawl supported Tree Rex as they walked. The flying eyeball pointed them in the direction of an abandoned village. Many of the houses were falling apart. The soil in the ground was mostly dead, dust kicked up into the air where they walked. Only one building stood intact, and that was the abandoned church large enough to house the three of them.

"Where is everybody?" Tree Rex panted.

"I wouldn't know," Eye-Brawl sighed. "It was like this when I came here. My guess is that the Arkeyans cleared everybody out, shipped them off to work in mines or build temples."

It broke Bouncer's heart to think that all of the old inhabitants of this village had died because of the Arkeyans. At least, he thought he still had a heart. Some kind of thing to tell him right from wrong. Unless the Arkeyans had taken that out when turning him into one of their mindless drones. Whatever it was, something inside him definitely ached.

They walked Tree Rex into the church. The building's interior had definitely seen better days. It was dusty in here as well, with much of the old furniture broken. The stained-glass windows, depicting strange creatures creating Skylands' Elements, lit the interior in a kaleidoscope of hues, with a clear window at the top pointing to a basin of water. There wasn't an upper level, meaning that the church's purpose was to contain the entire population of the village for one sermon once or twice a week.

"There we go," Eye-Brawl said, him and Bouncer easing Tree Rex on the ground. "Take it easy. You'll be fine. The only danger from a life curse would be if there were any mushrooms left to sap your energy, but I got them all off. It'll take a while for you to regain your strength after something like this, so just relax."

"But what if the Arkeyans come back?" Tree Rex asked.

"They won't. We got rid of them all."

"You know, Bouncer left one of those Radiance ships intact after our fight."

Bouncer stepped away from the two of them. "I wanted a better reading on it," he insisted. "Besides, if somehow the Arkeyans did hear about what we did, they'll see it as a waste of time to retrieve one transport ship of Radiance."

That wasn't to say they Arkeyans wouldn't be able to hear of what the three of them had done. Maybe. Did Bouncer have a tracking device installed inside him? Was there one inside him because his superiors needed to track his activity inside the mines? How far would they chase him down in that case?

"What if another village ends up like this one while we're here?" Tree Rex pouted.

"We'll deal with it later," Bouncer promised him. "Heroes need a break, too."

No comment.

"You must've been up for a while when I was asleep in the night. Try to get some sleep while we're here. It'll help you recover."

"...Alright..."

Bouncer left him to give him some space, traveling farther into the church. He observed the windows, noting the story that the shapes on the windows seemed to be telling. There was a similar church like this in his hometown, with similar stained-glass windows. The people said it was for the "Ancients", whoever they were supposed to be. The pictures of them didn't even have a clear image of who these creation creatures were supposed to be.

"Do robots not have a faith to follow?" Eye-Brawl asked him, walking toward one of the pews.

Bouncer didn't think so. Even that long ago, those pictures in the window never resonated inside himself.

A crashing sound was heard with the collapsing of weary wood. Bouncer looked back at the pews, alarmed. Eye-Brawl had tried taking a seat in one of them whilst inside Headless. Tree Rex hadn't been alerted to the commotion- he'd fallen fast asleep. The eyeball and headless giant seemed no worse for wear.

"Right, that's the broken pew," Eye-Brawl muttered to himself. "The...fourth, broken pew."

Bouncer burst out laughing at this. "Man, you look so silly in that position!" he chortled. "You alright?"

"Just fine. My butt is just bruised."

"Your...butt?"

"It's hard to explain. Headless and I have some kind of connection. When we're together like this, I feel what he feels, and I can tell him to move how I want him to. Which means if he's hurt, I'm hurt."

"Headless is like your travel buddy, huh?"

Eye-Brawl looked up at him in surprise. "Why, yes he is."

"That's what Tree Rex is like for me. When we first met, he did the same thing you did and attacked me. After that whole mixup, we started traveling together. He's the one that decides what we should do, but he always follows my lead. Tree Rex is quite young, though he doesn't look the part."

Eye-Brawl stood up, rubbing his sore rump. "You don't know where he's from?"

"No, and he hasn't told me yet."

"Can I ask about you?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Well...you're an Arkeyan, but you're not one of those life-hating monsters we know and despise. What do you know about the Arkeyans? Why did you decide to fight against them?"

Bouncer searched his memory banks for answers- he found none. He never found any answers, none that would tell him how to hurt the Arkeyans, and none about what had happened to him. "I was just a security drone," he shrugged. "Bottom of the totem pole. They don't tell security drones anything other than how to keep the slaves in line. I got fed up with doing their dirty work until I got the courage to free the slaves I was looking after and defected completely."

"Yes, but _why_ did you decide this?"

Bouncer was speechless. He didn't know. He'd just always had this compassion. Always had a feeling that he was more human than machine. He couldn't explain it. A shrug was all he gave Eye-Brawl.

"Okay. Sorry for my insistence. I'm just so curious about you."

"As I am about you. My turn- so how do you eat? Because I'm assuming you eat? How do you talk? Where do your lasers come from? How is it that...?"

* * *

Sometime in the night, Bouncer left the church to track down the Radiance ship. Eye-Brawl had taken up watch, so the robot had no fear of any harm coming to Tree Rex. Bouncer continued through the decrepit village, his eyes having lit up to see in the darkness. It was impossibly dark around these parts, and one misstep could lead to a fall off the island.

But he failed to see something sneak up on him. Bouncer heard some kind of beeping sound, and before he knew it, he was being attacked by a robot- an Arkeyan Jouster. A metal pike slammed into his side, denting his shoulder. He turned around to face the attacker, seeing his coppery color. Bouncer shot laserbeams from his eyes, taking the Jouster off his feet. He shot a bullet from his finger toward the Jouster's head, disabling it.

He felt remorse for this drone. Bouncer felt remorse for him, even though he could be nothing more than a lifeless, obedient husk.

Much like Bouncer himself...right? Was that right?

The beeping noise didn't stop when the Jouster was disabled. Heck, now the noise seemed to fill the dead village. Bouncer moved away from the robot, fearful as to what the beeping could mean. The sound became slower the farther he moved away. Bouncer moved back toward the robot, and the sound sped up once more. He opened a control panel on the robot's chest, horrified at what he found. Some kind of hi-tech map lay in there, a red dot lighting up at Bouncer's location.

His worst fear had been realized.

There was a tracking device in him.

The Arkeyans had sent foot soldiers to hunt him down, and now they had found him.

How many had arrived? How much time did Bouncer have to make his escape unknown? Oh _gosh,_ what if they found Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl?! What was Bouncer supposed to do, then?

Bouncer raced back to the church. He saw no signs that the Arkeyans had snuck out here. And inside the church, everyone was safe. Now Tree Rex was on watch while Eye-Brawl slept, sitting against the entrance. The tree man was looking much better than before, of which Bouncer was glad. How long would he remain that way if the Arkeyans were coming back out here to capture their defector?

"Hey Bouncer, glad you're back!" Tree Rex beamed. "Eye-Brawl told me you wanted to find that Radiance ship. Did you find it?"

"No, it's too dark," Bouncer explained, walking into the church.

No, they couldn't stay together anymore. It was far too dangerous. Anyone near Bouncer would get hurt as part of the Arkeyans' collateral. The most Bouncer could do for his new friends was to...buy them time for their escape.

Bouncer hid at the back of the church for a while, trying to decide what to do as fear took over his mind. Tree Rex hadn't come after him, so the robot could have a quiet conversation with Eye-Brawl about what his plan was- if the flying eyeball were awake, that was. He didn't have the heart to wake him. Bouncer took a broken wood plank and carved out a message, detailing his reasons for leaving, and set it near the slumbering giant.

"Is everything okay?" Tree Rex asked.

So his state of being really hadn't escaped his friend's worried gaze. Bouncer moved past the tree man, keeping away from him. He made it out of the church, pausing to figure out his plan from there.

"What's wrong?" Tree Rex persisted. "Are there more Arkeyans coming after us?"

Bouncer couldn't say that. It would send Tree Rex into a panic, trying to figure out a plan to take them on. Bouncer couldn't say that and add that he was going out to die so the tree man could escape with Eye-Brawl. Tree Rex would fight and insist that he didn't have to go it alone. The robot wanted nothing more than to keep his friend safe, to make sure he survived to save Skylands.

"Just trying to keep away from your foul air," Bouncer found himself saying.

Tree Rex looked at him, confused. "My...foul air?" he stammered.

"Yeah, you're just dead weight," Bouncer lied as he continued. "There's so much I could get done if I didn't have you to drag around all the time."

"You're just joking around...right?"

"But I guess you have some use as a body to throw at the enemy."

"...You said we'd have each other to lean on."

He _had_ said that. But it didn't matter anymore. "It's so tiring and frustrating to have the equivelant of a child to lead around and carefully explain things to. I'm sick of having to always explain facts to you over and over again."

"This doesn't sound like you."

"Oh yeah? And how would _you_ know what I sound like? How would _you_ know what I want? The person you're hearing right now is _me,_ and I'm sick of always having to be nice around you."

Tree Rex became angry. "You really _are_ one of them, aren't you?" he yelled. "You can just go! I don't need a loyal Arkeyan to follow and hate me!"

Bouncer did, fleeing as fast as he could. He didn't know what had come over him. He wasn't sure where all those lies came from. But if Tree Rex remembered that he hated him, it would be easier to hear that he was dying so they could get away.

* * *

 _Hey Eye-Brawl_

 _I'm not sure if you trust me. Yeah, we've only known each other for a few hours. If you don't trust me, that's fine. You have no reason to, especially after everything my people have done. But I'm nothing like them, okay? I hate them, actually._

 _I guess I hate myself, too._

 _I enjoyed a simple life playing Robotoball at my home village. When the Arkeyans took over, they captured me and turned me into a security drone. My memories of my old life were wiped- I'm not sure how they returned. Heck, some parts are still missing, like how they wiped my memories and sent me into the mines. I think I might have a tracking device inside me, in order to track my movements in the mines, but I don't know where it is and I'm terrified by that fact._

 _And everything else from my own enslavement terrifies me, too. What if they still have control over me? What if they cause me to turn on the people I've started helping? I used to think that I was human, like everyone else in my village. But the fact that I was manipulated this way, just like a machine, showed me that I'm not human. And as much as I think, and wish, and yearn, and plead, and beg to be human, I know that it'll never happen for me._

 _I never had the time to teach Tree Rex everything he needed to know. We were always running. I was always afraid that he'd get hurt because of me. I don't know if you trust me, but I trust you after having spent so little time with you. I want you to take care of Tree Rex for me. Keep him safe. As soon as you're done reading this message, I want you to take Tree Rex and run the other way, off this island and somewhere else. Gather other Giants to become the Skylander group he had in mind to protect the innocent. I'm not worried for you- if you guys are together, I know you'll be safe._

 _So don't worry for me, either. It'll be over soon._

 _From Bouncer. (But you knew that.)_

* * *

Everything in his body ached. Bouncer felt terrible for lying to Tree Rex like that. But it had to be done. He and Eye-Brawl were safer without him there.

Bouncer made it back to the edge of the island where the Radiance ship was.A few Arkeyan drones had arrived- probably with the Jouster he'd taken out- and were observing the Radiance ship. Bouncer fired his lasers on them, chasing them off the island and securing the ship. He looked at the horizon, noticing tiny specks in the distance. The Arkeyans were sending a whole armada to apprehend him. They were still a long ways off- hopefully Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl would be gone by then. Bouncer tipped the Radiance ship, spilling its contents out. There was no reason to let them have any of it.

Perhaps the Arkeyans didn't want to kill Bouncer right away, but instead wanted to torture him? Get information out of him? Tree Rex and Eye-Brawl wouldn't be safe, then. Bouncer looked at the Radiance puddle he'd created, the purple stuff sparkling in the early morning sun. Would this kill him? How long would it take?

Bouncer touched his wheel to the puddle, trying to make sure of his next move.

Immediately his head pulsed with an excruciating pain. Bouncer cried out, stepping away from the puddle, immediately regretting his action. Images suddenly came to him- robots holding him on a table, opening his front hatch, a wire attached to his head to feed him new programming. It was everything his memory was missing. It came through, over and over again, giving him both joy and torture.

"But nothing's growing off him."

"His Element is different from yours. The Radiance is going to affect him differently. We need to wipe that spot off his wheel."

Voices- but perhaps Bouncer was too delirious. The robot could no longer focus on what was going on. He felt something pull him away, then push him forward. Bouncer pulled himself away from the thing, trying to flee- only for another thing to grab his shoulders.

"Get off me! Get off!" Bouncer cried fearfully.

"Bouncer, calm down! It's me, Eye-Brawl! That spot is gone, just give those effects a second to go away."

Bouncer struggled for another moment. The pain in his head slowly left, and with it his confusion. He found that it really was Eye-Brawl holding him by the shoulders. Tree Rex walked next to him, sap-like tears streaming down his face. Bouncer looked back at the edge of the island, noticing the specks in the sky had grown larger. How long had he been like that? If that tiny amount of Radiance could cause him that much anguish, how badly would the entire puddle leave him off?

"Shh. It's fine now," Eye-Brawl insisted. "No more Radiance. You're going to be fine."

Bouncer shoved him away. "You guys need to get out of here!" he yelled. "Eye-Brawl, you read my message, right? Take Tree Rex and go!"

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Tree Rex asked timidly. " 'I hate myself'? 'Don't worry about me'? 'It'll be over soon'?"

"You read it to him?" Bouncer asked the flying eyeball.

Headless crossed his arms as Eye-Brawl glared at him. "Yeah. I thought he'd like to know what his friend was feeling," Eye-Brawl insisted. "I got scared that you wanted to hurt yourself- and I wasn't far off, apparently."

No, he wasn't going to allow them to get hurt. "I'm a danger to you!" he hollered angrily. "The Arkeyans are tracking me- I know they are! Go, or they'll hurt you too!"

"We're not leaving you behind!" Tree Rex responded stubbornly.

They looked at the horizon, watching the specks get bigger and bigger. It wouldn't be much longer until the Arkeyan forces arrived. "Tree Rex, you should start running," Eye-Brawl told the tree man. "Make some distance from this place to keep the Arkeyans from finding you. We'll be right behind you."

"Will you guys be okay?" Tree Rex stammered.

"Of course. There's just something we need to do first."

Tree Rex wiped his tears away and quickly bolted in the direction of the village. Bouncer watched him go, thankful that Tree Rex wouldn't get hurt. But Eye-Brawl wasn't going anywhere. He seemed adamant in staying.

"Okay, let's make this quick," Eye-Brawl said, knuckles cracking. "If we can get that tracking device out before any of those pilots see us, we can trick them into thinking you're still here before we bolt."

"Excuse me?" Bouncer gasped.

"Didn't you hear a word I just said? We're getting your tracking device out."

"Grah! This is exactly what I didn't want happening! Just go with Tree Rex and hide!"

"I'm sick of running and hiding, Bouncer! That's why I came and helped you guys the other day! I'm ready to stinking _do something_ about all of this! I thought you said you trusted me!"

"I DON'T TRUST MYSELF! I'M...I'm just too scared."

Bouncer was taken into a hug. "I know you're scared," Eye-Brawl insisted. "It's scary, risking your life for those who can't help themselves. It's scary, gaining friends that might get hurt doing this with you. Heck, it's scary to give your heart to someone else. But it's scarier to be completely alone when trying to do this. Imagine how terrified Tree Rex must be right now. We've all found each other, and we need to stay together. We'll be fine. I promise it'll all be okay."

The specks could now be seen as airships. "Let's get this over with," Bouncer decided.

Eye-Brawl released him. "Now, are you sure you don't know where they put the tracking device?" he asked.

"No, it came back to me," Bouncer realized. "It's in my front hatch, where my hard wiring is."

"Lay down and open it up."

Bouncer did as he asked. He opened his front hatch, revealing his sensitive hard wiring. He strained his neck to look, but only Eye-Brawl could see what was inside.

"There's this big box on the front of your motherboard," Eye-Brawl said, chuckling slightly. "This is the best they could do for a tracking device? It's not even hidden."

"They didn't think I'd disobey my programming," Bouncer suggested.

"It's attached to you by three bolts. This will be a bit tricky to pull off without damaging your inner circuitry. But if I fire my lasers at a few precise points, I bet I can get it off."

Eye-Brawl got off the headless giant, who turned and grabbed both of Bouncer's arms to give some aid. In this angle, Bouncer couldn't see how close the airships were getting. "What's their position?" he asked.

"Don't worry about them. Just focus on staying still," Eye-Brawl insisted. He lowered himself to one side of the tracking device, firing a small laser at it. Bouncer felt a tiny bit of pain as the bolt detached, but kept himself as still as possible. Eye-Brawl moved to the next bolt and shot a laser at that.

"I'm getting a bit worried...," Bouncer found himself saying.

"Don't be. We're almost done."

One more laser fired. Bouncer felt one more twinge of pain. Headless released him, slowly snatching up the tracking device and running off. Bouncer waited for a second before closing his front hatch. He felt fine. He felt like everything was going to be okay.

"Headless, just drop that off anywhere! We have to go!" Eye-Brawl shouted.

Headless returned, hoisting Bouncer off the ground. Eye-Brawl took his place, and they began running. Bouncer looked behind him for a minute, noticing how close the airships were getting. They sped off as quickly as possible, making it look like no Giants were even there.

* * *

They ran for a while, mostly looking for Tree Rex. Eye-Brawl checked back at the abandoned church just in case Tree Rex decided to hide in there. But the tree man couldn't be found- at which point the two of them realized with horror that they didn't tell Tree Rex when to stop running. They hurried along, making it to a dilapidated bridge that connected this island to another one that continued the abandoned village. They found Tree Rex there, catching his breath, and hopped to the other island to join him.

"Oh Tree Rex, thank goodness!" Bouncer gasped. "We're sorry! It took longer than we thought it would!"

Tree Rex looked up, finally noticing them arrive. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked.

"We're just fine," Eye-Brawl promised him. "Those mean robots aren't even chasing us."

Bouncer looked back behind himself. As close as those airships got, he was fearful that they'd come and hurt his friends. But they weren't being chased. They'd made it out in time.

He suddenly found himself laughing giddily. "They're not chasing us!" he realized. "They're not chasing us! I'm free! I'm actually free from them!"

"Now what do we do?" Tree Rex wondered.

Bouncer and Eye-Brawl sat down with Tree Rex? Now what? Where would they go next? It seemed too soon to decide. But that was the beauty of it, Bouncer guessed. He could do anything he wanted now.

"We should find some slaves to free," Bouncer pondered. "We'll stick it to those slavers and declare that the Skylanders are here to defeat the Arkeyans."

Tree Rex smiled in delight. "We're going by that name now?" he begged him.

"Eye-Brawl raised a good point. It's time for us to stop running when we do these things. And you were right before- the people need something to look up to."

"Skylanders, eh? I have to admit, I thought it was a very good name," Eye-Brawl beamed. "Do you know what it means?"

"Sort of," Tree Rex shrugged. "It's just a group of different creatures who've united to save the world. Though...I guess we're still a bit small."

"We'll look for new members on the side."

Bouncer suddenly felt himself hurt again. It was from his heart- yes, he did indeed have one- and it ached. He remembered everything he told Tree Rex last night. And yet, the tree man didn't seem angry about it at all. "Hey man, none of those things I said last night were true," he apologized. "I just-"

"I explained it to him when I woke up," Eye-Brawl cut in. "He just bawled to me, asking why you hurt him like that, because he was so sure you had never felt that way. I suggested that maybe you were trying to spare him from something and wasn't sure what else to say."

"And then we read your message," Tree Rex replied. "We got really scared for you. I didn't care what you'd said after that."

Bouncer found himself deflating. "I thought if you hated me, it would make it easier for me to buy you guys time to get out of here," he continued. "Not...that it matters now, of course..."

"Do you still hate yourself?"

No comment.

Tree Rex leapt forward and hugged him tightly. "But you're awesome! And I'm not sure what I'd do without you!" he persisted. "Don't do this again! Any of this!"

Bouncer was human. He had these feelings. He had these wants and desires. He had this need for preservation, whether it was for himself or those he cared about. He had a heart. He knew he was human.

Bouncer hugged Tree Rex back. "Don't worry," he promised. "Nothing like this will ever happen again."


	26. Flameslinger: Fire-Sight

Chapter Twenty-Six: Fire-sight

The Superchargers were a humorus group, Flameslinger discovered on his visit to the Academy. They were a bit wild, but each of them was very smart in their own different way. They were impressed by the Skylanders that came by to train them, and were always eager to meet them.

"Alright, is everyone here for training, yet?" Flameslinger asked.

"Not quite," Fiesta noted. "Stormblade's still trying to get everyone else here."

"Are we kidding? What's taking you kids so long?"

"I'm not sure. We were all looking at something in the garage when Buzz told us you were here."

Right, the garage. The mystical garage, where all the wonders of vehicle-obsessed Skylander recruits could be found.

Most everyone else was here, Flameslinger learned. They were all at the Academy's training ground, waiting for three more people to arrive. (Stormblade had gone back to fetch the others.) Flameslinger's fire boots allowed him to see them all, in the full scope that the flames in his boots could muster. The colors of the world, the colors of the students, it was as if he wasn't blindfolded. That was his secret- and it would be a rare day if he told anyone else that.

"What exactly are you going to teach us?" the Warsupial known as Smash Hit asked. "We don't exactly have similar fighting styles, you know. Unless you're going to teach us how to fire your bow. I mean, I'm better at smashing stuff, but I can always-"

" _No one_ is touching my bow," Flameslinger warned him. "It's my baby. Anyone who borrows it has to be gentle with it."

Nightfall stood up, looking at his bow in a similar fashion to Smash Hit. "Show me how you do it," she persisted. "I'm always gentle with other people's possessions."

"That's right, she is," Splat agreed. "I let her use my paint brushes, and she didn't ruin the bristles like everyone else always does."

Flameslinger shrugged, giving in. "Fine- besides, you're all probably bored out of your minds anyway," he decided, grabbing Nightfall's hand to bring her over. "So Nightfall, which hand is your dominant hand?"

"Does it matter?" she asked.

"I need to see what I'm working with."

"Left hand."

He pulled his bow out, placing Nightfall's right hand on the wood and making sure her left hand was by the string. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and handed it to her. "You want to grip the arrow by the black feather- the one opposing the two red ones," Flameslinger began. "Put it behind the string- yes, just like that. Now draw all the way to your cheek. The string's tight, so you might have a bit of difficulty-"

Nightfall pulled back on it with ease. "I'm strong and patient that way," she explained.

"Okay. Now release."

Nightfall did, just as the three missing Superchargers came back. The crystal man in the mddle ducked as the arrow sailed right above his head, while the lark and flame spirit jumped out of the way.

"Dangit, guys, we were just a little late!" Astroblast yelled.

Flameslinger found himself distracted. He saw the flame spirit looking directly at him, recognizing him. He smiled for a moment, before his face became stuck with a kind of anguish. Flameslinger recognized him as well- it had been so long since they last saw each other. Why wasn't the flame spirit happy to see him?

"Hey Spitfire, are you okay?" Stormblade asked him, concerned.

"I'm fine," the flame spirit replied. "I just remembered that I forgot something. I'll be right back."

The flame spirit retreated, back the way he came, entering the Academy's doors. Flameslinger chased after him, making sure that his old friend was okay.

* * *

Pling! _Down went one Chompy._

Pling! _Down went another Chompy._

Pling! _Oh, that one was a Bomb Fiend._

 _Flameslinger had run off into the woods. Bow in hand and quiver on his back, he fired arrows at unsuspecting monsters. Though blindfolded, he was able to see their heat signatures through his special fire-sight- and he never missed._

 _Despite the occasional monster roaming about, these woods were safe. That was what Flameslinger had always known. Out here, nobody dared to look for him._

 _Well, it wasn't as if anyone cared._

 _Heck, he moved out here permanently when his mother stopped looking at him like a person._

 _Not that it mattered. Flameslinger had been sneaking off to practice archery in the woods for a while now. The elf liked being out here. There was the isolated quiet that outweighed the chirping birds. There was the scent of fallen leaves in the autumn day. There was a whiff of petrichor from the previous night's rainstorm. Everything was peaceful._

 _Beneath his blindfold, Flameslinger's eyes suddenly burned. That was from his fire-sight- which he saw as a curse. It caused an orange, hypnotizing glow to come from his eyes and entrance people, and allowed him to extend his vision to other fires. Right now, he could see a flame spirit trapped in the nearby river, struggling to stay topside. The poor guy probably got caught in a mudslide. It didn't look like anyone else would come by to help him._

 _The elf sped to the river in a heartbeat, running past the familiar orange and red of the leaves. He made it to the river, finding the site of the mudslide. The flame spirit's heat signature came to him- a cooling flame tail, near purple rock body, holding onto a fallen branch with a weakening grip. The spirit was surprisingly younger than Flameslinger's vision depicted. He lacked metal wings familiar with his kind, meaning he was too young to be on his own. Flameslinger slipped toward him, catching the child just as his hands slipped, hoisting him up. He trudged out of the mud, setting the child on the firm grass area. Flameslinger took his blindfold off for a minute in order to do a proper checkup on him._

 _For a minute, the elf feared that he'd come too late to help. The child's blue eyes were half open, showing great fatigue. The white glint of his eternal flame could be seen in his chest. His breathing was raspy- he'd been calling for help before Flameslinger arrived. Why hadn't the elf's fire-sight seen him earlier?_

 _But slowly, thankfully, the color of the child's flames turned from red to orange, then orange to blue. The glint disappeared, and Flameslinger knew that the child would live._

 _"You have an impressive grip," Flameslinger noted._

 _The child coughed. "...Th-thank you," he stammered._

 _"You don't need to do that, honestly. Hey, where's your family? I can help you get back to them."_

 _The child lifted himself up before falling into Flameslinger's lap. Still too weak to cry, he let out pitiful whimpers. "I don't know," he pouted. "Someone chased us out of our home. I got separated from them. I'm not sure where we were supposed to go."_

 _Flameslinger put his blindfold back on before the child could look him in the eye. "Do you know who it was that chased you out?" he asked._

 _"These big brutes...Dad didn't name them, but they were big and green, and I think they had large frog mouths."_

 _"Gnorcs. They're a dying race from the Summer Forest. They probably hoped to save themselves by kicking your family out of the area so they could expand and grow out."_

 _The child let out another whimper. That last comment hadn't helped._

 _"But don't worry. I'll help you find them. I can even attack those Gnorcs and get your home back."_

 _The child got up and grabbed onto Flameslinger's shoulder to look at him- only looking at the red blindfold instead. "Oh don't do that," he begged him. "Some of us got really hurt trying to fight them."_

 _"But who's going to stand against those jerks for you?"_

 _"I don't care about that. I just want my family back."_

 _Flameslinger got up, carrying the child as he did so. "What's your name?"_

 _"Sp-Spitfire."_

 _"Well Spitfire, I'll tell you what we're going to do. I'll take you back to my campsite, we'll get some food and rest, and then we'll go and look for your family, okay?"_

 _"Okay."_

 _Flameslinger carried the child, Spitfire, back to his campsite. He could hear him snoring before they got there- the poor child had been exhausted by that whole ordeal. Arriving at his campsite, Flameslinger set Spitfire in a sleeping bag in order to let him rest. He stepped away for a moment, taking his blindfold off. Was his fire-sight finally going away, and that was why he hadn't seen the young flame spirit earlier? Or had his blindfold simply blocked his view? Flameslinger tried to focus his gaze out, trying to find another flame to extend his vision._

 _His eyes suddenly burned once more, and he found another campsite with an active fire at it. Flame spirits were there as well, each of them a bit weary but otherwise alive. They seemed to be arguing about something, though his fire-sight didn't allow him to hear it. Perhaps they were Spitfire's family? It would be great if they were._

 _That group was heading for the desert island a few miles away from this one. If they didn't hurry, they might miss them. Flameslinger looked back at Spitfire, still sleeping deeply. It would be cruel to herd this kid along after he'd been through so much not too long ago. They'd have to wait and hope the traveling flame spirits didn't go anywhere._

* * *

 _"Why don't you ever take your blindfold off?" Spitfire asked._

 _"Because I'm blind," Flameslinger lied._

 _"You seem too good at firing arrows to be blind."_

 _"Elves have heightened senses. Mine allow me to fire arrows. Besides, elves are a race of marksmen- it's practically in my blood."_

 _Flameslinger's plans went more slowly than he'd hoped. The visions of the flame spirits he'd seen had stopped coming, though his fire-sight still allowed him to view the world in the same way. He and Spitfire had traveled together for the past few days, westward, in the direction of the desert island. Spitfire turned out to be a curious little spirit, poking his nose around every corner. Danger seemed to be the farthest thing from his mind. It was no wonder, however. If any monsters came after them, Flameslinger was the one who defended him. If it rained, Flameslinger shielded him from the worst of torrents. Flameslinger really was a gracious guardian._

 _The two of them had set up camp for the night amidst a small shrine left here by the elves in case any travelers stumbled upon them. Small little spirit homes were dotted around, believed to invite good karma to the specific area. Flameslinger was familiar with the magic, always amazed to find that it somehow worked. And while he didn't really want to be at this shrine, thinking that elves from his village would look for him here, this was as good a place as any to camp._

 _Who was he kidding? Nobody was looking for him._

 _"Hey, thanks again for looking after me," Spitfire suddenly said. "It really means a lot."_

 _"You don't need to say that so much," Flameslinger persisted. That really was a habit of the young flame spirit. Spitfire felt the need to constantly thank the elf for his work and ask if there was anything he could do to return the favor. It really was bothersome._

 _That was to say, it bothered Flameslinger enough to worry. Right now, Spitfire seemed to have deflated somewhat, sulking while he sat. He was thinking about something that seemed to cause him some stress. As chipper as he had become, the child was still scared out here._

 _"Worried about your folks?" Flameslinger asked him. "I'm sure they're fine."_

 _"I'm not exactly worried about them," Spitfire sighed. "I mean, my dad is huge! Big chest, big shoulders. He can knock you out in a single blow- he actually watched our backs as our clan got out of there. And Mom is fast enough to run circles around people- I've seen her do it enough times. I'm sure they both got out safely."_

 _"You said some of your clan got hurt trying to fight them."_

 _"Those Gnorc guys are bigger."_

 _"But you're not worried about the safety of your parents."_

 _"I'm sure they got out with everyone else."_

 _"So what are you worried about?"_

 _"Uh...it...doesn't really matter...actually."_

 _"But-"_

 _"It's fine, really."_

 _He wasn't ready to say. Might as well give him a little time, then. "Ask about me, then," Flameslinger said, changing the subject. "What are you wondering about me?"_

 _"Oh, I don't really need to know...," Spitfire hesitated. "I mean..."_

 _"Oh come on, don't be shy. I'm ready to answer any question you have."_

 _"Well...I've sort of taken you from home...haven't I?"_

 _He sounded like he felt guilty. "Of course not," Flameslinger promised him._

 _"But I'm sure you have more important elf duties to perform, right? I mean, what about your friends and family? I'm sure they're worried about you being out here."_

 _The most personal question anyone could ever ask. But if Flameslinger had a dime for every time he thought someone might be worried about him, he could build his own house in the middle of the woods and hide from everyone. "What about them?" Flameslinger shrugged. "I don't have a home to go back to. My parents hate me. And I don't have any friends."_

 _"That can't be true," Spitfire meekly insisted. "Everyone has friends."_

 _"Not me. No one wants anything to do with me. You're actually the closest thing to companionship I've ever had."_

 _"...You sure?"_

 _Nod._

 _Most of what Flameslinger had said was true. He didn't have friends- all of his peers were too hypnotized by the fire in his eyes to even say a coherent sentence. His mother could somewhat function around him, though mostly to parade him off as a spectacle to other people- "Oh look at my precious boy! Isn't he so special and magical?" His father...well who cared where that low-life was? But he wasn't sure if anyone hated him per se. And Spitfire was much closer to companionship than Flameslinger had said- the child was now his only friend._

 _Spitfire suddenly slammed his fists on the ground, letting out a yell. "What if they hate me!?" he cried morosely._

 _"What, your family?" Flameslinger asked, confused by this outburst._

 _"I don't know where it came from! But I couldn't stop thinking about it! I couldn't stop thinking that my parents would be mad at me for getting lost out here! I couldn't stop thinking about returning to them and having them say 'oh what a rotten kid you are, disobeying orders to follow the leader'! I couldn't stop thinking of them hating me and casting me out because I got lost! I swear, I tried following the rest of the kids out, but so much was happening around me and-"_

 _Flameslinger shushed him, quickly taking him into a hug. "They'll understand that you didn't get lost on purpose," he reassured him. "They'll understand that you got confused in all that chaos. They'll understand that you got scared and weren't sure what to do. And frankly, if you were mine, I'd be too thankful to have you back than to be mad at you for something so silly."_

 _Those words didn't stop Spitfire from sobbing. Admittedly, Flameslinger didn't want those words to stop him. The child cried for everything he'd lost the day the Gnorcs attacked- the things he was too weak to cry about when Flameslinger found him. He was letting go of every worry and fear he'd kept in, now figuring out how to release it. Flameslinger felt Spitfire relax in the embrace. This was the healthy thing to do._

 _"Everything's going to be fine," Flameslinger whispered to him. "You'll see. We'll find your parents, and they'll take you in with all the joy and happiness a reunion can hold. It'll almost be like you never got lost from them."_

 _"...You really think so?" Spitfire pouted as the sobbing quelled._

 _"Of course."_

* * *

 _The night dragged on. Spitfire had quietly dozed off at Flameslinger's side at some point, small little snores filling the silence. Flameslinger found himself unable to sleep. The thought of his fire-sight was troubling him again. Was it really going away? Was he really going to be normal for once?_

 _Wondering that, Flameslinger kept his blindfold off for a few hours, trying to see if that would improve anything. It still took a while for him to focus on a specific flame, unable to find one right away like he used to. His eyes burned again, finding another flame spirit in the woods. She seemed to have separated slighty from the group, looking for something. But the image quickly disappeared before he could fully understand what she was doing._

 _Despite that, he could still view the world behind closed eyes. The trees still had heat. So did the rocks and grass, in one aspect or another to help him get around. He could still see Spitfire's form, gently movng as he breathed. Flameslinger found himself thankful for his curse- who would've saved the young flame spirit if he hadn't seen him, let alone help him find his family?_

 _It didn't take away from all the trouble it had caused, though. Everyone was still entranced by his eyes. The spell only went away when he put the blindfold on. Only then did anyone talk to him like a real person, but they still didn't want to interact with him closely- it was too awkward, he guessed, when they remembered how they acted when the spell was broken. His mother still acted selfishly around him even with the blindfold on, however. He tried it with her before he left. She just kept asking him, "Oh let me see your eyes, let me see your eyes." Flameslinger actually yelled at her, telling her to talk to him like he was a person. But his curse couldn't possibly allow that._

 _He winced when he remembered the sting on his cheek from where she slapped him- the first time she ever did that, but it nontheless drove him from their house._

 _His fire-sight had plauged everyone around him._

 _He couldn't possibly go back._

 _No one was allowed to see his eyes ever again._

 _Flameslinger brought his head to his knees, setting them in and silently weeping. He didn't want his fire-sight to go away. He didn't want it to go away and leave him with nothing. He had nothing to go back to. Nobody who wanted him around. That gift had offered the elf one friend in Spitfire- and he was going to lose him, too, once they found his family. Flameslinger was going to be completely alone._

* * *

 _Flameslinger carried Spitfire on his back the next morning, running through the woods. That flame spirit he saw last night couldn't be that far away. Maybe they could meet up with her and she could bring Spitfire back to their clan. There was no way Flameslinger was going to coax along today- if they were going to catch her in time, they had to hussle._

 _They swept past trees, leaping over fallen branches on their way. They passed a giant boulder- Flameslinger slowed down, recognizing it as one that the female flame spirit in his vision passed. The trees around them were becoming more sparse. A couple miles from where they were, you could see the outline of the desert island._

 _"Is that where we're going?" Spitfire asked, pointing to that outline._

 _"It would be the perfect place," Flameslinger shrugged. "Very dry, very big, and most importantly, Gnorc-free."_

 _"My family's around here, right?"_

 _"They've got to be."_

 _Flameslinger's heart was pounding in his chest. His stomach filled with the feeling of dread. Any minute now, he knew they'd find the young flame spirit's family. Any minute now, he and Spitfire would have to say goodbye. He wasn't ready for that. He wasn't ready to be completely alone again._

 _Flameslinger set Spitfire on the ground, and they kept going. The elf traced the path that he saw the female flame spirit go, moving by the rock, slowly walking past one large tree, finding a clearing that looked it it had just been emptied of its visitors. He could see that the ground was much hotter than it was supposed to be, heat lingering from the flame spirits that had camped here._

 _"There are scorch marks on these trees," Spitfire hollered to him. "My family has been here- but everyone's gone."_

 _Flameslinger grabbed Spitfire's hand. "Let's just wait a moment," he insisted. "They might come back looking for you."_

 _He knew they'd come back. He remembered the vision he saw last night. That female spirit that was separated from the group- she had been looking for Spitfire._

 _They waited around for a few minutes. Eventually they caught a sign of movement- a blue light to Spitfire, a lick of red heat for Flameslinger. The female flame spirit from Flameslinger's vision had come back, peeking around, making sure she hadn't left anything behind. The rest of the party couldn't be too far off._

 _"That's my mom!" Spitfire gasped. "Flameslinger, that's my mom!"_

 _The child went to run up to her, but Flameslinger kept his grip. It was stiff and clammy. He knew he had to let go, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't allow himself to be alone._

 _"Flameslinger?" Spitfire asked._

 _No. He had to let go._

 _Flameslinger took off his blindfold, handing it to the young flame spirit. He could see the autumn trees around them- even the scorch marks on the bark. He looked Spitfire in the eyes, watching his confused expression. He had to let go now._

 _"Keep it," Flameslinger told him. "...In case you need something to remember me by."_

 _And then he released his grip on Spitfire._

 _Flameslinger watched the child run off, calling to his mother. The female flame spirit saw her child, and quickly ran over and swooped him from the ground. She hugged him firmly, smiling and crying at the same time, relieved to have found her missing child. Flameslinger watched them for a while, glad to have helped Spitfire find his family. But there was also the crushing weight of crippling gloom and sadness that came with it._

 _The mother suddenly looked at him. "Hey you," she called to him._

 _"Y-yeah?" Flameslinger stammered._

 _"You brought my son back to me. Thank you so much. If you may, could I...see your bow for a second?"_

 _Flameslinger did, meekly taking it out. A flame quickly set itself on the bowstring, but quickly vanished._

 _"That bow is now enchanted, allowing you to shoot flaming arrows. You know...for when your own gifts need some backup. Spitfire is the most important thing in the world to me, and I can't just leave you without thanking you somehow."_

 _"It-it was nothing, really," Flameslinger insisted. "I just had to get him back to you."_

 _Spitfire ran back to Flameslinger, quickly hugging him. "Mom said we had to go soon, before everyone tries hurrying off again," he said. "I'm really going to miss you."_

 _Flameslinger hugged him back. "Me too."_

 _They parted ways, each to their own, back to their homes. Yes, Flameslinger decided to go home. Through the entire goodbye, Spitfire hadn't said anything about his eyes. The glow was definitely still there. The hypnotizing effects were still there. Yet, Spitfire said nothing about them. There was still a posibility for Flameslinger to find friends out in this great big world. He couldn't give up just yet. So he decided to go home._

 _It took him a few days to get back. In a while, he made his way back to his home. He stood at the back porch of his house, prepared to knock on the door. Flameslinger was nervous. Who would he find in his mother when she came to answer? What would life be like when he came back in?_

 _Well, there was no point in prolonging it. Flameslinger knocked on the door._

 _It took a little while for his mother to come to the back when he knocked- she must've been in the living room. But she came and opened the back door, looking her son in the eye. There was a kind of shock in her stance, and she stared timidly at him._

 _"...Has it gone away?" Flameslinger asked. "The glow in my eyes?"_

 _"It's still as bright as ever," his mother insisted._

 _"So nothing's changed. But it feels weaker, somehow."_

 _"You don't like it, do you?"_

 _"I don't know. But I don't like what it turns people into."_

 _His mother wrapped him in a hug- she'd never really done that before. "You are your own person," she said. "I have to let you be that."_

* * *

Flameslinger followed the flame spirit up to the upper levels of the Academy, to where the dorms were. The flame spirit went into one of the dorms, where his things had to be. The elf followed him inside, watching him rummage his sheets for something. Eventually he found what he was looking for- an old blindfold, slightly tattered from age.

"And here I thought you were trying to avoid me," Flameslinger mused.

The flame spirit looked up, noticing him standing there. "I didn't want to speak to you unless you knew I still had this," Spitfire explained. "Maybe it would've seemed rude if I didn't."

"I wouldn't have minded a bit. It's been a long time. I wasn't sure our paths would cross again, either."

"But how could I just forget about what you did for me? There are some things you just have to hold on to, no matter what. So I was never going to lose this blindfold for a second."

The two of them hugged each other. "Ah, look how big you've grown," Flameslinger chuckled. "You finally earned your wings! I'm proud that you found your way here. The Skylanders will be good to you, just like they were for me."

"Of course they'll be good to me," Spitfire replied. "Heck, it's even better to see you here. I'm glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you, too."


	27. Knight Light: Homecoming (pt 1)

**Sorry I was gone so long. This one took a little more figuring out. Hopefully I'll have Part Two up soon.**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Homecoming (Part One)

 _Knight Light remembered how the city twinkled in the night. From far off the horizon, to high in the sky where he flew, Radiant City was always alive with light. The interior of the city was no different. The tall skyscrapers also sparkled, different sources of light reflecting off the crystalline walls. No shadows seemed to exist here. If they did, they were small and thin._

 _Oh, the buildings were always so beautiful. Each one seemed to have a different shape. Some were rectangular length-wise, the structure of the lattice visibly seen. Some_ _looked_ _like spires, twisting about and creating a point at the top. All seemed to vary in size as well- a few were skyscrapers, others were like little homes or restaurants. No one building looked entirely similar to another._

 _As the only one in the city with wings, Knight Light spent his time as the city's guardian, looking for trouble so he could snuff it out. Sometimes he traveled out, but not too far, so as to keep his eye on the denizens. And not too late, either- he figured most bad deeds had to happen at night. For the most part, however, the city was safe._

 _None of them really noticed when they were swept away from Skylands. Knight Light had been in the city at the time, sitting at the top of one of the skyscrapers, watching how the crystals of the Starlight powering their city moved around the condensed stardust cluster, intrigued by the pattern. When the Core of Light was destroyed, most everyone in Skylands could see the blue that came from the explosion, but the city lights were far too bright to see it. They only heard the sound, which to them could've just been a sonic boom from a passing jet. The ground shook, and they felt the wind sweep around them, though neither were powerful enough to warrant concern for the city dwellers._

 _There was also a grand influx of new civilians. Radiant City had always been a melting pot of clans from all over Skylands, but the population tripled in size that day. These were the people who saw the explosion, the ones swept away by the wind and taken to the Light Realm. All of them had been quite frightened by their ordeal, though all the older residents had just seen them appear out of nowhere, as if they had been here their entire lives._

 _Most people didn't realize it, but Radiant City had become the center of the new Light Realm._

 _There was also something else, too, that only affected a small handful of people. It affected Knight Light, creating some kind of tickling sensation in his chest. Then it became hot, and agonizing, and he thought it was nearly heart-stopping. When it ceased, a brand resembling a sun shape emblazoned itself on the front of his armor. An energy flowed through his veins, like some kind of magic. When he tapped into it, a rainbow came up, likening itself to the power of the purple-white cluster in the Starlight. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before._

 _Knight Light traveled around after that, seeking to see Skylands for the first time- the city was safe enough. The Light Realm had a yellow sky and no shadows. A few different islands existed in the realm besides Radiant City, like farm islands and similar things. He traveled around and around the realm, time and time again, for the four years they were all in there. No matter where he turned, up, down, left or right, he always found himself turned back around to the city. Knight Light felt trapped. But they couldn't be trapped, right? There was always another way out of a situation such as this._

 _One day, the winds started up again- there hadn't been any wind during this whole time. Knight Light had arrived at the Starlight in time to redirect an attack from a short yellow man. He flew in the air, cape waving behind him, decked in white. He wore some kind of pointed headpiece, like it was supposed to be a meaningful shape. Knight Light recognized that fiend right away, and knew of his motives._

 _"Luminous, I cannot allow you to take the Starlight," Knight Light shouted defiantly. "Your mad quest for banishing darkness ends here."_

 _"You're as valiant as you are foolish," Luminous scoffed. "Can't any of you see? If left to its own devices, all darkness will rise up and kill us all. Don't you feel the wind, Knight Light? Skylands is experiencing great change- a convergence is happening outside this realm, and we'll all go home soon. This is the perfect opportunity to take the Starlight back with us and catapult it into the sun to save all of Skylands."_

 _"Taking the Starlight from Radiant City will cause the buildings to collapse- everyone in the city will die because of your lost cause of a quest."_

 _"What's a thousand lives to the countless billions I'll be saving once my plan comes into fruition?"_

 _"My point still stands- I will not allow you to do this."_

 _"I do so wish we could've had a peaceful chat to come to a decision. Oh well. If I can't gain the Starlight through diplomacy, I'll get it through force!"_

 _The rivals clashed. Knight Light grabbed Luminous's cape, hurling him into the sky and away from the city. Luminous sent magic his way, the impact slamming onto Knight Light's knees. He retaliated by striking his sword onto Luminous's side._

 _The clash lasted for days, becoming more and more grueling as time went on. Neither foe stood down nor backed off. Even when the winds became more and more dangerous in the sky, neither of them quit. They shoved each other into rock islands, sent magic projectiles to each other, straight out clashed, and neither of them gave way._

 _Their fight led them to some kind of crystal spire at the edge of the realm, which seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. Knight Light shoved Luminous into it, plunging him deep into the crystal. Using his light magic, Knight Light sealed the crystal, using the surrounding crystals by the spire as keys that would keep the fiend locked away for a long time. Luminous would not be getting out._

 _The wind picked up to their absolute extreme- in Skylands, most everyone could see the explosion from Cloudcracker Prison's destruction, that which was causing the Light Realm to collapse. Knight Light, his energy completely sapped from the battle, allowed himself to fall, his vision going dark..._

* * *

"His vitals are normal. Heart rate, normal. Breathing pattern, normal. The only thing off is his magic level, which is slowly getting back to normal. This man is at the pinnacle of health."

"But you think he should be dead."

"From the height at which he fell weeks before, yes. No one could survive a fall like that."

"But like you said, he did. And he looks like no ghost or phantom to me. Though his Element is strange. It's unlike anything I've studied since coming to Skylands."

Knight Light could hear voices. Everything was dark, and yet he could hear voices. He felt so weak- he almost thought he _was_ dead. But he was definitely alive. He could feel the magic in his bones, almost hearing it scream with life. Knight Light had to wake up now. He had to understand who the voices belonged to.

Hearing his wish, he felt the tickle in his heart again. It brought a little energy back to him, enough for him to obtain consciousness. Knight Light slowly opened his eyes, taking in the scene. He was in some kind of sick bay, laying on a cushy cot. No one else seemed to be in the room with him in the same predicament. He appeared to have two visitors. One was a short purple man with a long cape and a large helmed encrusted with strange crystals, and Knight Light saw him hover above the ground. The other was a taller figure in a red cloak that hid his arms, his face seemingly hidden in a dark shadow with only white eyes seen- but they quickly disappeared when Knight Light tried to look directly at them.

"Oh! His levels are changing slightly- he's waking up," the short one noted.

Knight Light summoned the energy to speak. "...You're not from Radiant...City," he stammered. "Where...where am I?"

"You're one of those Lost Ones, aren't you?" the cloaked one asked. "The ones that disappeared from Skylands when the Core of Light was destroyed."

"The Core was destroyed?"

The short one held up a hand to the cloaked one. "Not yet, Enigma," he insisted. "Clearly he's been out since the event that brought him back." To Knight Light, he asked, "Is the Light Realm familiar to you?"

"I've been trapped here for four years," Knight Light nodded.

"You _were._ But something brought you and everyone else trapped there back to Skylands."

"I'm back?"

"Yes. You've been unconscious for a few weeks since we found you. You still haven't fully recovered yet, so-"

"I need to get out of here! My people need me! Ugh, but I can't move. I request your assistance- carry me back to Radiant City."

The cloaked one, Enigma, held Knight Light down- while there was no need to do so, he still did it. "Everyone's fine. The people in the city are acting like they never disappeared for four years," he explained. " _You_ need to stay here until you get your energy back."

A stranger's word wasn't good enough for him. Knight Light needed to see for himself. "I'm ordering you to take me back," he said in a low voice, trying his best to sound threatening.

"I'm sorry, did you say you were ordering us?" the short one chuckled. "Exactly what kind of power do you have to do that?"

"Why, the power of the Light Element that flows through my veins. You must know about that, and you must know how powerful it can be. Now carry me back to my home."

Enigma released him. "You know what, Blastermind? I think we should do as he says," he insisted.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting off?" Blastermind asked. "No, he's too weak to travel that far."

"He's absolutely right, you know. We don't exactly have the means to combat Light magic. We're totally defenseless against one of his awesome attacks. Why, he could be accumulating it as we speak."

Blastermind's eyes widened suddenly. He was looking at Enigma's face, but Enigma was at an angle that Knight Light couldn't properly see him at. What he missed in their silent exchange was nothing more than a simple wink. "Quite sound logic, friend," Blastermind finally agreed. To Knight Light, he said, "Alright sir, we'll carry you back to Radiant City."

"Thank you," Knight Light sighed in relief. "And my name is Knight Light, by the way."

"I'm Blastermind, and my friend and colleague here is Enigma. Don't you worry about a thing- we'll help you get home."

Enigma and Blastermind helped him up from the cot, supporting Knight Light as they walked around the sick bay. It turned out that Knight Light had underestimated his returning strength. Each slow step they took hurt him greatly. His feet felt like they had weights. And with each step he took, it sapped enough energy from him to make him feel weak again.

"Are you alright, sir?" Enigma asked him, pausing them so Knight Light could breathe. "It doesn't look like your full energy has returned quite yet."

"That can't possibly be the correct conjecture," Blastermind insisted. "He possesses Light magic. It's incredibly powerful, and should be able to-"

"I get it! I'm sorry!" Knight Light groaned. "Just take me back to my cot, please!"

They complied, this time fully carrying him over. He was set on his back, exactly as he had been before. "An energy _has_ come back to you," Blastermind noted. "We Trap Masters call it fighting energy. It's the kind of will to keep going even when you've hit rock bottom. But you could needlessly hurt yourself if you go on without any other kind of energy to back it up. Just rest and relax for now. We'll get you back to Radiant City as soon as possible."

Knight Light didn't argue this time. He eventually settled into sleep, and never once blamed them for the nasty stunt they pulled.

* * *

This Skylanders Academy was a decent place, Knight Light saw after a few days. He explored its halls, observing the many artifacts its students had collected over time. The grounds were bright green, with a tiny stream that flowed around and cascaded off the island. A prison of sorts existed here as well, for any escaped convicts that the Skylanders came across.

Yes, Knight Light had been caught up on everything that had happened. The Core of Light had been destroyed by an evil Portal Master named Kaos. Somehow the explosion of magic had created two separate realms of Light and Dark, where different people had been sent. They'd been there for four years, until a similar event happened at Cloudcracker Prison, bringing the Light and Dark magic back to Skylands. He could hardly wrap his head around the event. It seemed that most of the Skylanders couldn't do so, either, as many of them were still trying to figure it out.

He spent his time recuperating, walking around the Academy and getting acquainted with everything. His wings were a bit sore, but he always tried flying around. Knight Light had gotten comfortable here, convinced that his home was safe after all. The Skylanders seemed like they were on top of things, even when trying to get the escaped convicts back in jail.

Knight Light flew around the grounds one evening, when his wings had recovered the most. He felt good, thinking that he might make it back home that night. All that he needed to do was talk with someone about it, and they would surely allow him to return. Knight Light steered himself back toward the island, touching down, before noticing the color of the sky for the first time. The sky was a bright red, streaks of purple showing up. Knight Light found himself panicking. What was going on? The sky had never looked like this before.

He fled inside, searching for someone to assist him. Knight Light found Blastermind somewhere in the halls, leading a group of youngsters around the school. He quietly made himself known, before dragging Blastermind away from them.

"Your face shows great distress," Blastermind noted. "What is it that you need?"

"It's the sky! I'm not sure what's happened to it, but...well, you need to come see what you can do!" Knight Light stammered.

Knight Light dragged Blastermind to the front steps, showing him what he meant. Their activity attracted the attention of Enigma, who himself was assisting a dark centaur female with tours.

"Is there a problem?" Enigma asked them.

"The sky! Would you just look at it?" Knight Light gasped fearfully, nearly trembling.

Blastermind looked up, developing a deadpan stare. Enigma did the same, taking a stance that suggested a quizzical thought. The centaur just laughed at Knight Light, as if his fear was completely unwarranted.

"What, you saying you've never seen a sunset before?" the centaur asked him.

"Sunset?" Knight Light questioned her.

"The phenomenon that happens when the world turns on it's axis and day turns to night," Blastermind explained. "During the day, the particles in the sky reflect the natural sunlight, giving it a blue tint. This changes when the sun's at different angles, and-"

"What he means," the centaur continued, "is that this is a natural occurrence."

What a strange comment. They didn't have a word for sunset in Radiant City. Knight Light didn't think he'd ever seen one before. Perhaps the lights of the city were too bright.

"It's nothing that should warrant any fear," Enigma added, taking a seat on the grass. "I find it nice to look at."

"What, you weirdos like sunsets?" the centaur asked him.

"Blastermind likes the science behind them. I like the progression of the color changes. When the reds come in, the sky looks like it's on fire. When the purples come in, it looks like a calming ocean to put the flames out."

"I've never seen that."

"I do. Where I come from, we don't get to see the big clouds, so I enjoy seeing them, especially at sunset. They catch the colors of the sky and illuminate them further."

"Wait until the stars come out. Those have intricate designs if I've ever seen them."

Knight Light cut in once more. "Stars?"

"You're kidding, right?" the centaur asked, now more flabbergasted than humored. "They're kind of white lights that appear in the night sky."

"Are clouds just white puffs that appear in the sky?" Blastermind asked indignantly. "No, stars are gigantic masses of hydrogen that exist in the farthest reaches of space. Our own sun is a star, warming our world and giving it the necessary energy needed for life to flourish. Stars are found thousands upon thousands of light years away from our current position, and yet they all seem so close when night comes upon us."

"Sure, let's go with that."

"It's a fact of science and the universe as we know it."

His fears set aside, Knight Light decided to fly onto the roof of the Academy to further watch this phenomenon. The colors changed from red to purple, growing darker as time passed. White spots soon appeared in the sky, popping up in patterns. They seemed to make shapes as more of them came forth. Knight Light stared at them in awe. These were stars? They were so beautiful. He'd missed these his whole life?

"Mr. Sparkles!" a female voice shouted- the centaur's. "You okay up there?"

Knight Light looked down and saw the centaur looking up at him. "I'm fine," he told her. "I'd prefer it if you didn't call me Mr. Sparkles, though. It's demeaning."

"Sorry."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"The name's Knight Mare. I'm in training as a Trap Master."

" 'Knight Mare'? Are you sure?"

"And what are you called? You know, if not Mr. Sparkles?"

"Why, I am Knight Light, great warrior of-"

"Ha ha ha! They put that on your birth certificate or something?"

"It's an honorable name. Certainly better than 'Mr. Sparkles'."

The centaur shook her head, walking off. Knight Light watched her go, something stirring inside him. He hadn't known about stars, a fact that seemingly everyone else knew. What else did he not know?

* * *

He accompanied Knight Mare and Blastermind on a scouting mission the next day. Blastermind had seemed hesitant to bring him along, but decided that Knight Light had recovered enough to come along. They traveled along the Soda Springs, making sure everyone was safe after the attack from the Gulper. For the most part, everything turned out fine. Soda production was back up, the people were rebuilding, and the Doom Raider's interference had been laughed off.

"Is this it?" Knight Light asked.

"Pretty much," Blastermind shrugged. "If we were heading out to an actual battle, I wouldn't have brought you along. A scouting mission was most appropriate for you this time around. Enough to give you a feel for how we operate, and if there had been any danger, it would be easy enough to keep you safe."

"I don't feel it. I don't think I know well enough about how the Skylanders work."

"But it doesn't matter to you, right? You're just trying to get home as fast as possible, from what I understand."

He didn't reply, and only looked at the ground.

"I see..."

Knight Mare had taken a position on a high cliff, looking out. She blew her horn to get their attention, pointing westward. "I spotted something at the edge over there!" she hollered.

"Lead the way!" Blastermind told her.

Knight Mare leapt off, landing on her hooves and speeding toward the edge of the island. Knight Light and Blastermind followed suit, coming closer and closer to the object that the centaur had found. They happened upon a grotesque sight- a Chompy Pod, larger than any Knight Light had ever heard of, encasing itself in some kind of purple goop.

"What is that!?" Knight Light shrieked.

"Ah, a fine specimen," Blastermind mused. "This is what happens when a Chompy Pod is left to thrive for long periods of time. When the eggs inside have all been expelled, and it can no longer reproduce by other means, it turns into a chrysalis, preparing for the next stage of life."

"That being?"

"A Chompy Worm."

"What do the worms look like?"

Knight Mare raised her flamberge up, prepared to fight. "You won't have to find out here," she insisted. "I'll take this creature out before the Soda Springs has to deal with it."

"Hang on before you do," Blastermind warned her. He lit up the crystals on his helmet, and a strange pinkish-purple aura surrounded the Chompy Pod. Lights glimmered on the goop, before the aura dissipated.

"Alright, the goop is still moist," Blastermind shouted. "I was worried that the shell had started forming, but you can go ahead now."

Knight Mare rushed forth, slashing her flamberge into the goop. She slashed several times, cutting down the Chompy Pod. The plant thing seemed to burst open, purple goop spraying out. Knight Light covered his face with his wings to avoid the spray. They fell back behind him, and he saw that Blastermind had completely avoided the goop altogether.

"Oh, what a rush!" Knight Mare cheered as she galloped back to them, completely drenched in the stuff. "There's nothing like watching a creature's innards ooze out, especially if it's evil!"

Blastermind levitated something out of the goop- a spotted egg. "This Chompy Pod started early," he mused, setting a hand to his chin. "I've never seen this kind of behavior in the species before."

Meaning that something wasn't right here. "Let me look at that," Knight Light asked him.

The egg was handed to him. Knight Light set it on the ground and crushed it with his boot. A foul-smelling green goop came forth, forcing the three to cover their mouths in repulsion. The eggshells seemed to melt within this ooze.

"Dr. Krankcase's work, I see," Blastermind gasped. "Though when he arrived in the area, I'm not sure. The only Doom Raider we found was the Gulper."

"Maybe it planted itself when the Gulper landed here," Knight Light shrugged. "Or it was something that he'd been asked to do when he landed here."

"Not probable. The Gulper was on an immediate soda rampage when he came to the area. When he sees that stuff, it's the only thing he can seek. And taking the soda out of the equation, he's not able to follow intricate details that the doctor would've no doubt told him in order to plant the egg here."

"I'm familiar with Krankcase, Blastermind," Knight Mare agreed. "He'd rather complete a task like this himself. He was no doubt here, that's for sure. Probably trying to grow some Chompy Worms for 'Her Majesty' to obtain- though I'm not sure what the goo egg was for."

Knight Light gave another shrug. "To kick-start the metamorphosis?" he suggested.

"Probably," Knight Mare nodded.

"Let's make another roundabout before we head back to the Academy," Blastermind decided. "I want to make sure that no more of these Chompy Pods are found in the area. We'll have to inform the others of this so they can keep their eyes peeled, too. Knight Light, are you okay to go on?"

He didn't feel exhausted at the moment. "I'm good."

"Maybe if we find another Chompy Pod like that one, I'll let you destroy it."

No comment.

"What do you want to ask me?"

The thought became more and more attractive to him when he thought of it. "I was thinking of training at the Academy," he muttered. "I might be more...useful, there."

"I see. Well I promise, Knight Light, the Skylanders will offer both excitement and accomplishment for you. Anything you need, we'll help you. What do you think?"

A chance to see more of the world. A chance to do more for it. "Yeah. I want to stay."

"We'll make sure to accomodate you, then."

They continued on, checking for more Chompy Pods. Knight Mare pounded his shoulder before coming up next to Blastermind. Knight Light felt odd about it. He was sure he was supposed to go back to Radiant City and make sure they were okay. But he knew that the Academy was where he was needed most. It was such a strange decision, one he never would've thought of before. But it just felt like the right one.


	28. Knight Mare: Homecoming (pt 2)

**So I was pretty swamped for the longest time. I was unable to get back to this story, so this chapter might not be so good. I might be gone for a while again, so Undead chapters will probably spill into the next month again.**

Chapter Six: Homecoming (Part Two)

 _The world had changed four years ago, back when the Core of Light was destroyed. Many parts, more than just the new situation for the Skylanders. Of that Knight Mare was sure._

 _It was her duty to watch over the Oracle of Stones with the other Dark Centaurs in the temple where they lived. They all saw the blue from the Core's explosion, but only a handful were pulled away from Skylands- including Knight Mare herself. They were catapulted into an island system surrounding the Poison Sea, with nothing but a black sky and a white moon to give them company. Many others became trapped in this Dark Realm as well, scared out of their wits. None of them really knew what to do._

 _Though instructed to watch over those in the small society that they created, Knight Mare became part of an even smaller group with strange new magic inside them. This Dark Element was a part of her, and it strengthened the powers she had in battle. Creatures would emerge from the sea to threaten their safety, and she defended the people quite easily. There was always something to do._

 _Without warning, a while back, everyone returned to Skylands. Things had changed while they were gone. The Light and Dark Elements had become known. The Skylanders were under some sort of curse that threatened to send them to a strange world. The Trap Masters were hunting down escaped convicts and were looking for new recruits- funny that they thought Knight Mare could help them. Oh, but the idea was too exciting to pass up._

 _The world had changed._

 _Was it even ready for their return?_

* * *

Knight Mare plunged her flamberge deep into a Chompy Pod, squishing the ooze out. She always found herself enjoying this part of the job to an unnatural degree. Normally she found the thought of hurting someone sick, but she enjoyed the ooze from something like this. Maybe it was the nature of the new Dark Element that caused her to enjoy it so much.

She was certain that she didn't feel this way before the Core of Light's destruction.

Knight Mare stepped away, allowing Snap Shot to search through the bloated remains of the Chompy Pod. After scouting through Know-It-All Island several times- both as a means of clearing the area of trolls and Chompy Pods- they had collected a whole sack of goo eggs. The whole thing was very strange. Everyone on scouting missions kept collecting these strange eggs, continually coming back with more and more. It never seemed to end. Knight Mare, for one, enjoyed the collection. It kept her mind away from thoughts of the Dark Realm. Such thoughts sent shivers down her spine.

"Here she is," Snap Shot muttered, finding another egg. He handed it to Knight Mare, who set it in the sack of goo eggs with the others.

"Let's make another round through the island," Knight Mare insisted. "I'm sure there's one we missed."

"Golly, not tonight. We've already scoured every inch of this place, and I don't think our sack could hold another egg even if we did find one. Besides, aren't you getting kind of tired at this point?"

Knight Mare understood where he was coming from. The sun was beginning to set, and they'd practically spent the whole day here. She could feel the ache of a hard day's work in her own joints. But she could still feel the energy inside of her. It was pent up, pushing against her soul. She just had to find a way to let it out.

"You obviously don't know a thing about centaurs," Knight Mare scoffed. "We can run across the Skylands for several days without food or rest. We're that powerful."

"Then I guess crocagators aren't in the same category," Snap Shot laughed wearily. "I'd let you stay behind if you're wanted, but that's not how the rules work."

She was becoming familiar with the rules of the Skylander teams. All non-Core Skylanders had to pair up in twos during scouting missions, especially if they were trainees. She disliked this specific rule. Knight Mare enjoyed the solitude of her former job as a sentinel, even without the influence of this new Dark Element.

"I'll come back with someone else, then," Knight Mare proposed. "I'm sure they'll want to help me scour the island. Maybe Krypt King. Or Gearshift. Maybe even..."

Words failed her. Knight Mare knew that she couldn't get him to let her stay.

"Let's head back to the Academy," Snap Shot decided. "If you want, we can head back tomorrow."

* * *

Things went by normally when the two of them got home. The sack was delivered to the Tech Skylanders for analysis before either of them left to their dorms for bed. Knight Mare went into her dorm, sitting by the window and staring at the sky. Sleep had not been coming easy to her since coming back to Skylands, and tonight was no exception. The energy kept pulsating inside herself, begging for release. Nothing she currently did brought it back to level amounts.

She knew this energy had to be the Dark magic she'd been granted when entering the Dark Realm. However, she didn't remember ever having this problem while in the Dark Realm. The energy didn't like being idle, and her being active kept it level. There had always been something to do there, and since Knight Mare already didn't enjoy being idle, she was one of the people who solved everyone's problems. And she also didn't enjoy the pulverizing of Chompy Pods as much as she did now. It couldn't be explained.

So Knight Mare left for the training room, intending to try and quell the energy. Fighting seemed to be the only thing that did so. She walked downstairs and walked into the training room, the familiar sweat smell wafting over her as she opened the doors- a surprisingly comfortable scent. Gray slab walls surrounded her as she walked further inside, though she was surprised by the mess she found when she got in there. Training dummies were strewn about the room, destroyed in heaps as cloth and sand and hay littered the ground around them. The winged warrior Knight Light was here, and he was seen beating a dilapidated training dummy with his sword.

"Can't sleep, either?" Knight Mare asked him.

Knight Light stopped in his assault, his white armor heaving with his pants. "I can't. But I'm so tired at the same time!" he sighed. "I just feel this high level of energy inside, and I can't get it out no matter what I do."

"From your Light magic, you think?"

"This started a few days ago, so I think so."

Him too? "I've been feeling the same with my Dark magic."

Knight Light looked directly at her this time. A small smile grew on his face. He'd been feeling alone with this. Now it didn't have to be this way.

"Yeah, it just grows and grows inside me," Knight Mare continued. "When I try to sleep with the energy too high, this sticky black feeling prevents me from doing so."

"For me, this white light penetrates beneath my eyelids," Knight Light agreed. "It's a horrible feeling."

"Do you have any weird feelings inside you that you didn't before? Like something satisfies you that didn't before? For me, it's satisfying to watch the ooze of those Chompy Pods. Like popping pimples, but larger!"

Knight Light grimaced at the thought. "I don't have feelings specifically like that," he explained, "but one has come up. I've suddenly decided that I must have everything in my room clean and orderly. It's satisfying to get everything organized the way I want. And when someone messes with the specific order I've created, I just feel sick."

"So it's all connected with our new magic then. These Light and Dark Elements must be going haywire inside of us. The energy is yearning for something new to balance it out."

"So far fighting seems to do the trick for me. Balances the energy enough for me to sleep. But it's not a permanent solution. And if we don't have one, it might hamper our abilities in the field."

She hadn't thought of that. But now that it was here, it consumed her mind and brought fear to her. The Light and Dark Elements were new creations in Skylands, perhaps nothing that the Ancients had originally intended. What if the two of them couldn't figure this out? What would happen to them if the energy got too large to balance out?

"Maybe the two of us should have a fight. The energies might cancel each other out," Knight Light suggested.

Knight Mare paced around the room, pondering the idea. "Yeah. A fight might work," she agreed. "It would have to be big, though. Not a simple fight, but..."

"A large-scale battle, maybe?"

"Bigger. Not just a battle, but a...but a...war."

Knight Light stepped backward, alarmed by the idea. "You can't just start a war as simple as that!" he argued. "It's immoral!"

"I don't mean a real war, obviously," Knight Mare corrected herself. "Just two factions in one large clash, winner takes all."

"Still, it's something you just can't do."

"I'm not just saying it's something we do for the fun of it. You said it yourself- bad things could happen if we don't sort this problem out. I can't think of a better way to do so than a war."

Knight Light sighed. "Maybe a war is the only way we _can_ solve this problem," he decided. "But a war consists of more than two people fighting against each other- if they're not deities, at least. Who are you going to get to join this affair? Because we're the only two people here with this problem."

A smirk grew on Knight Mare's face. "I've got an idea," she decided.

* * *

They traveled to an abandoned desert island early the next morning, marking it for their war. Knight Mare carried a clutch of the goo eggs with her, smirking as she looked at them in the bag she had them in. It was brilliant. The wind carried with it a smell of hot sand, seeming to tell a tale lost by the ages. This was a good place for a war. It also felt like a good day to hold a war as well.

"We don't know what's going to hatch out of those eggs," Knight Light stammered. "And we're breaking the rules by taking them."

"I left enough eggs behind for everyone else to study," Knight Mare insisted. "They can find the answers they need on their own."

"What if the hatchlings get loose?"

"They'll tear each other to pieces during our conflict, I'm sure. We'll be the only ones to make it back alive, I promise."

Knight Mare set a goo egg on the ground. She blew her battle horn at it, shadowy particles coming forth to crack the shell. Out came a pile of green goo, its color changing purple to match the new Dark Element. It grew larger until it reached the size of a jungle cat, hissing and spitting at them. Startled, Knight Light stumbled to the ground and backed up to a nearby rock. Knight Mare studied the blob, curious about it.

"What have you been up to, Doctor?" she muttered to herself.

"Knight Mare, we shouldn't do this! It's not right!" Knight Light begged her. "I don't want to do this!"

Neither did she. She didn't actually want to start a war. Telling war stories to children was one thing, but to actually participate in a conflict like that? To actually start a conflict like that? Of course it wasn't right. All the same...

"What else are we supposed to do?" Knight Mare asked him.

"I don't know. Just anything but this," Knight Light whimpered.

Knight Mare sighed, tossing the bag to Knight Light. "Let's go home, then," she decided.

Making sure not to leave anything behind, she sliced her flamberge through the blob, making sure it wasn't around to cause more mayhem. However, this only served to split it off into two beings, both of which spat and hissed at the two warriors. They lunged after them, but Knight Mare and Knight Light narrowly avoided this.

"Sword attacks don't work on this thing," Knight Mare realized. "What else do we have?"

"My light powers should cancel out the thing's darkness," Knight Light insisted, summoning a beam of light under an advancing blob. "See the light, creature!"

But the blob absorbed the light, changing its color from purple to white. The blob produced a strobe light from it's body, glaring at Knight Light and blinding him. Knight Mare swooped in to protect him, blowing her horn at the creature- only causing it to absorb more of her dark magic. The blobs merged back into one being, this time becoming larger with its colors shifting from purple and white with these counteracting opposites. Its outer skin hardened into a sort of crystal, trapping it inside as it tried to free itself.

"Knight Light, can you see?" Knight Mare asked him.

"The spots are starting to leave my vision. I think I'm alright," Knight Light replied. "Oh man, that thing can absorb Elemental magic. Imagine if the Chompy Worms sprouted with those goo eggs inside them."

"They'd be unstoppable for sure."

Something whizzed through the air, breaking the crystalline case. A blue Traptanium arrow with water dripping on it landed on the ground behind them, and Knight Mare looked up to see Snap Shot standing on a high rock above them. The blob lowered itself, becoming more fluid as its color changed to a dark blue.

"Is there something you blokes would like to tell me?" Snap Shot said as he hopped off the rock, frowning as he looked at them.

"Yeah- you shouldn't have done that," Knight Light replied timidly.

The blob wrapped around their feet, trapping them in place. Knight Mare couldn't lift her hooves up, and was unable to move her legs. Knight Light tried flying away, but the blob stretched up to grab his wings and pin him to the ground. Snap Shot attempted to create a whirlpool to wash the blob away, but this only made it stretch across the whole island. They were trapped, and the blob wanted to see an end to them.

"So this was the old Doctor's game, eh?" Snap Shot muttered. "Trap us with this if we meddled in their plans? I'm calling for more backup so we can get out of here."

"There's no reason to endanger anyone else," Knight Mare argued. "Knight Light, we can mix our magic again to overwhelm it. That's what happened last time, right?"

She blew her horn at the blob, its color changing back to purple. Knight Light summoned another beam of light, and the blob tried changing its color to white. It kept shifting from Dark magic to Light magic, and the two of them wouldn't relent. The blob hardened into crystal and shattered around them, freeing them once and for all.

"It absorbs elemental magic," Knight Light told Snap Shot. "Adding more power from a single element causes it to grow stronger. That same kind of creature is in those goo eggs. I'm guessing Doctor Krankcase had a plan to do us all in. It could potentially destroy the world. So we should..."

Snap Shot kept his angry frown.

"I'm sorry. We know the rules, Snap Shot. We just thought..."

"You two weren't thinking. You didn't know how dangerous those eggs could be. You didn't know what you were going to do if you got into any danger out here alone. You didn't think of anything, and you came out here anyway."

That speech kept grinding at Knight Mare's soul, ticking her off. He didn't know what they were going through. He didn't know how desperate they had been to come out here with those eggs. He could never know what having these strange elements was like for them. But that speech made him sound elitist, as if he had all the answers and they had been stupid not to listen to him- but what did he know about any of this!?

"We were coming right back...," Knight Light muttered, the fatigue of the situation getting to him.

"But this happened anyway," Snap Shot continued. "We have rules so that no one gets hurt on the job, and you two have broken them. I'm in a position to lay out a heavy punishment to you two for what you've done-"

Knight Mare's temper reached fever pitch. "Shut up! You're just as in the dark as the two of us are, so stop acting smarter than you really are!" she yelled. "We weren't going to do anything with the eggs! We weren't going to let that thing leave this area! We thought we'd come here to control the energy from our new elements before things got out of hand! _You_ don't know what to do about it! _You_ didn't know what the danger was any more than we did! Heck, you even rushed in here without thinking! What are you doing scolding _us_!?"

"You two broke the rules! That's what I'm doing!" Snap Shot insisted.

Knight Mare rushed away from the two of them, needing to release her anger without harming anyone. She found the bag next to the rock where Knight Light had left it, and began beating it with her flamberge. Harder and harder she hit it, listening to the cracking of the shells and watching the goo seep out. It didn't bring her pleasure like she thought it might- in fact, the idea of watching this ooze now sickened her. She leaned on her sword, pouting, her energy now spent. She knew her argument to Snap Shot didn't have much to stand on, but it felt like it just needed to come out.

"We had to figure this out on our own," she whimpered in conclusion. "That was our purpose for coming here."

She heard a sigh come from Snap Shot as he replied, "You two are right. I don't know what I'm doing, and that's why I follow the rules. And we don't know much about these two new Elements. But we're trying to figure it out- so you two don't have to feel like you're alone. You need to listen to me better, because you're part of our team now. Understand?"

Knight Mare nodded. She wanted desperately for this new Skylands to understand them. If anyone could make that happen, it was the Skylanders. Perhaps the world was indeed ready for them after all.

"Your punishment will be bathroom duty for the next week," Snap Shot decided. "Neither of you can go on any more egg hunts until the punishment is up. I won't make you scrub toilets with toothbrushes, but you can't use your powers to assist you."

"Just that?" Knight Light asked. "I was worried that you were going to kick us out"

"For this? There's much worse that we kick people out for."


	29. Fright Rider: At Any Cost

**Someone requested Fright Rider a while back. Sorry it took so long.**

Chapter Twenty Nine: At Any Cost

Fright paced around an empty barn, wondering about what he should do. Nobody had come in here in weeks- he assumed that nobody he knew would ever come in here again. It was empty and lonely, but it was the only place he could return to.

The event that separated him from his owner was still in his mind. It was during a jousting match- or perhaps after. Ostriches weren't so good with time, so it could've been either. A cheater had made himself known, casting a spell on Rider that sent him into the Underworld. There were weird flashing lights everywhere, and Fright had run away in fear.

How pathetic. He should've tried to help his master. Sometimes he'd tell himself that there was nothing to be done, but even that was no excuse. He was a steed, a familiar at best- it was his job to protect his master.

A sack was set in the corner of the barn. It contained a substance called skele-oats that could turn anything Undead without the effects that come from entering the Underworld. With it, he could go down there without fear of the inhabitants attacking him. But the ghosts and ghouls and...ick...spiders, just made him shiver in his feathers. Was it even worth it to go down there? What if he failed to save Rider?

Of course, the thought of being alone forever was too much to bear. And he loved his master too much.

He would save Rider at any cost.

Even his life as he knew it.

Fright scarfed the skele-oats down. Every single last grain went into his gullet. The change was fast yet painless. His feathers molted, and he gained a bony shell. His wings became vestigial bits on the side of his body. His normal form was now gone.

He was ready to go.

* * *

The road through the Underworld was oh so creepy. Everywhere Fright went, there was a ghost popping out to scare him. Spiders crawled around the street, making him back up ten feet away. In little villages, vampires would bare their fangs at him, wishing to drink from his neck. He was thankful that he no longer had blood for them to drink.

In all honesty, Fright wasn't quite sure where he was supposed to look. He knew that Rider had to be in the Underworld somewhere, but where he had been sent was a complete mystery. His master could be anywhere. And Fright was unable to communicate with any of the nice ghouls. Anytime he tried squawking at them, his words were lost in translation. At best, he was laughed off- at worst, he was shooed away. It was near impossible, but Fright refused to give up.

At one point, Fright wandered near a caravan being held up by some nasty brutes. Well, it looked like that from far away. As Fright got closer, it turned out that there was only one nasty brute holding up the caravan. He was a scraggly-looking werewolf, carrying some kind of bone harp. The werewolf's eyes hungered for the items in the caravan, and he snarled at the skeletal ghouls driving it. They jumped away, cowering in the small bushes, but the werewolf didn't relent as he stomped closer to them. Fright noticed a tattered bag on the ground where the werewolf had been standing, and found himself creeping up to it in order to check its contents. Perhaps it was for food, because he hadn't eaten in a few days. He didn't find any in there- and the following conversation elaborated that this was what the werewolf was after.

"What've you brought from the surface to sell out there?" the werewolf snarled, his red fur bristling in anger. "Apples? Meat, perhaps? What've you got to offer?"

One skeletal ghoul struggled to stand up, bowing in fear to the beast. "Just bread, Wolfgang, was it?" he stammered. "Just bread."

"A big caravan for a few morsels of something as lousy as bread? Why don't I believe you?"

"We-we promise. Just let us be."

"Cough up the key to the back, then. Let me have a look."

He shook his head.

"If you're tellin' the truth, then you have nothing to worry about. Cough up the key, and I won't _hurt you._ "

The ghoul fumbled with a key ring on his belt, his trembling hands causing them to drop it to the ground. The Wolfgang beast picked them up, snorting, and walked to the back of the caravan. Fright buried his head into the bag, hoping not to be seen. A paper hovered underneath his beak, depicting some kind of layout for a large building. There was wording at the top of the page. Fright was knowledgeable about written language, unlike most animals, and he read this wording as "Cryptkeeper Asylum". What a strange name, but maybe he could find Rider there. It had been a strange thought, but perhaps the ghouls thought Rider to be a villain and had trapped him in that asylum. It was better than wandering around without a destination, that was certain.

The slamming of a door brought Fright's head out of the bag. He watched Wolfgang stomp back toward the frightened ghouls, looking about ready to tear them to shreds. The ghouls hugged each other, fearing for their undead lives.

"Ah, I knew you were holdin' back on me!" Wolfgang yelled. "Just bread, ya say? Just bread? Then why did I find meat back there!?"

The second ghoul tried speaking up, but only a squeak escaped from his lungs.

"And here I was thinkin' I might let you run off with your limbs intact! You know who I am, but now you'll actually get to see what happens to those who hide things from me!"

The werewolf gripped his bone harp, prepared to smash it on the ghouls, but a sound alerted everyone toward a mountain in the distance. It was a kind of roar, created by a beast unlike anything Fright had ever heard. It filled his stomach with a sense of dread, a feeling that he hadn't yet felt down here, surprisingly enough- it told him that there was something worse that he hadn't faced yet. The roar made Wolfgang abandon his attack, having him simply hop into the caravan and drive off with it, leaving the ghouls behind. Fright grabbed the bag and ran after the caravan, remembering what he found in it. That werewolf knew where the asylum was, and he was the only one who could help him now. And if that roar was connected with the werewolf's intended destination...Fright couldn't bear to think about it.

* * *

It began to drizzle that night, making the ground feel squishy with moisture. It was harder for Fright to trudge on like that, with every heavy mud-soaked step he took. He needed shelter, and luckily he found one that helped him find the werewolf. Next to a cave in the side of a cliff was a burning caravan, the flames burning hotter than the rain that threatened to douse it, though it was only a matter of time before it happened. Another fire flickered in the cave, where Fright saw Wolfgang devouring some of the meats he'd procured. Fright stepped inside, now safe from the rain. He suddenly found himself unsure of what to do next, and simply looked at the werewolf in fear as the beast noticed his presence in the cave.

"Isn't that my bag?" Wolfgang muttered curiously.

Fright dropped the bag from his beak. He backed up as Wolfgang came closer. The werewolf picked up the bag and took the slightly damp paper out of it, his eyes widening as he remembered how he forgot about it when stealing the caravan.

"...Ruddy old thing, huh? The plans are all I need anyway," the werewolf muttered again. He retreated to his side of the cave with the items in hand. Fright saw him rip a chunk of meat off his meal and toss it toward him. He looked back at Wolfgang with nervousness and curiosity.

"Go on. You deserve a treat," he insisted. "Sugar-cured ham. Can't grab a hold of that stuff easily."

Fright sniffed at the meat chunk, recognizing the scent as something Rider would sometimes feed him after they won a match. Remembering his hunger, he ate the meat with gusto, cooing as his stomach filled with food. He watched as Wolfgang set his arms on his harp, studying the paper with his left hand as his right hand plucked at the strings. There was this feeling of glum that hovered over him, almost making him seem like something other than a beast that solely craved meat. Fright gathered up his courage and walked closer to him, looking at the paper and pointing his beak at the wording, only to be shooed away slightly.

"Why don't you go back home now?" Wolfgang asked. "You look like you could be someone's pet. I certainly can't have another mouth to worry about feeding, especially if they're goin' to be moochin' off me."

Fright crept back up, pointing to the wording again.

"Has your owner recently been cursed?"

He believed so. Fright nodded.

"Yeah, he'd probably be there. An asylum is s'posed to be a safe haven for those that need it, but Cryptkeeper's more like a prison. That's what I've seen from it, at least. They'll take people in for the smallest of imperfections, try to mold them into what they think's proper and correct. Nobody's fine with you being wild, but this place actively tries to purge that. Or perhaps you're a little angry or upset, even for a moment- they try to purge that to."

Fright squawked out a gasp.

"I've got a buddy currently trapped in there. Clumsy oaf with a strange spice odor, but he's an important member of my pack all the same. Botched raid separated us, but he's the only one they caught. He's managed to send me messages though, and they all talked about some strange...thing...not sure what it's s'posed to be, but it brainwashes inmates to make them more complacent. Probably some kind of beast. I'm told it's put to use at the end of every month, so I've only got a few more days to free him. If your owner was put in there recently, he probably doesn't have much time."

That was something Fright severely dreaded. Suppose he failed? Suppose he screwed up and got his master into even more danger? This whole thing was really scary. Even so, he was determined to see this quest through to the end. He didn't want to hide away in fear any longer. Rider was waiting for him, and he had to go.

Fright picked up the bag next to Wolfgang, his chirps coming out muffled as he tried to speak. The werewolf looked at him curiously, though he seemed to understand what Fright wanted.

"You don't want to go there," he argued. "That's not someplace you want to be."

Fright stomped his foot down. No, he was going and that was final.

"You sure?"

Nod.

"Hm. Fine, but I don't do charity, even for animals. Let's see...I help you get to the asylum, and you be my pack mule for the next few days. Then we can part as unlikely traveling partners. Good?"

Nod.

"Good thing we're solid, then."

Fright sat down, finding himself elated by what had happened. He was going to find his master! He was actually going to do something that required bravery! It was scary, yes, but oh so exciting at the same time!

* * *

The two of them traveled around for the next two days, making their way to Cryptkeeper Asylum. Wolfgang did a lot of thieving in that time, trading the ruddy old bag for a stolen saddlebag set on Fright's back. Sometimes they crossed paths with skeletal watchdogs looking for criminals, but the werewolf dispatched them with ease, procuring things like smoke bombs and tranquilizers from them. Fright was uncomfortable with that whole business. He always felt stealing and hurting to be immoral, something neither he nor Rider were capable of doing, yet the werewolf was nothing more than a beast who seemed to enjoy it.

Of course, Fright didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. Wolfgang was the only one helping him find his master, even if he wasn't doing it for free. It would all be worth it in the end, he kept telling himself. Besides, the werewolf made good company in the meantime.

They made it to the edge of the asylum one quiet, foreboding night. The tiers of the building seemed to spiral upward in some twisted fashion, like that of a nightmare. Smoke was coming out from the chimneys in large plumes, filling the sky. With the two of them hidden behind dead, twisted trees, Fright noticed that Wolfgang became tense with fear. Something bad was going on tonight.

"...I knew I shouldn't have squandered around so much," Wolfgang muttered. "We're nearly out of time."

Wolfgang prepared to jump out from the trees in order to assault the asylum. Fright quickly nipped him on the leg to keep him still, unable to warn him from rushing in any other way. They'd capture him too if he rushed in like a beast. Though in all honesty, Fright wasn't sure if there was any other way the werewolf could act.

"...Right, right, have to be rational about this," the werewolf remembered. "Um, um um...the back way. That's less secured. C'mon, bird."

They quietly crept around to the back, halting as they got near the doors. It was open, and people were working on dragging patients out. Two people walked out, herding a large skeletal patient in a gown out the door- when it was noticed that no more workers came out, Wolfgang zipped inside, Fright quick on his heels. The two of them nearly crashed into more patients, and Fright found himself unnerved by what he saw.

Each patient was in a matching gown, all of them standing in a line. Their faces were emotionless, their eyes vacant. It didn't feel like thoughts were running in their heads. Fright squawked at them, trying to get them to respond.

"Quiet! You'll get us caught!" Wolfgang whispered.

Fright chirped somberly.

"I'm sorry. They can't hear you. Their minds are gone."

It must've been that moment when all of Fright's petty fears vanished. Spiders didn't freak him out. The ghouls didn't freak him out. Wolfgang didn't even freak him out. None of them held a candle to the unspeakable horror that these patients had to have gone through. As far as Fright could understand, there were much bigger things to be scared of than spiders and ghouls.

"They've still got their name tags," Wolfgang noted. "...Orson...bloody heck, they're already on the O's. Oh, please tell me I'm not too late."

Fright chirped in puzzlement.

"Down the hall to your left leads to the upper levels of the building. If your owner isn't in this line, he's bound to be up there somewhere. This is where we split up- what I'm lookin' for is on the lower levels. Best be gettin', bird."

The saddle bag was taken off Fright's back, lifting the werewolf's burden away. Fright took his advice and hurried away, turning left.

At the end of the hall, Fright came upon a spiraling staircase that led upward into one of the tiers. He traveled up the staircase, hurrying as fast as he could. Screaming was heard, belonging to a familiar voice. This beckoned Fright to run faster, worried about what was going on. Reaching the top, he came upon another hall with a strange scene going on.

Two workers, appearing to be ghosts, had a patient tied to a gurney. The patient, stuck in the same gown as the others, was trying to write his way out. His voice was familiar. His face was familiar, though his green tone had been replaced with cyan. Fright had no doubt about it- it was Rider!

"Let me out of this! I don't belong here!" Rider screamed as loud as he could. "I need to get back home!"

Fright crept closer to the ghosts, listening in on their conversation.

"Sir, I doubt that this patient is in the correct condition to enter the Brain Chain Room with the others," the first one said.

"You mustn't doubt the power of the Brain Chain," the second one insisted. "It has the power to tame the most unruly spirits. This one is no different."

"But we've been receiving messages from downstairs that the Doom Raider we've held up is resisting it's powers. He's been acting up in the same way as well."

"It's probably the charm he's wearing to protect him from curses. Inform the others downstairs to take it off. What does it matter if he becomes cursed? Most of the subjects here are cursed as well, so it won't make a difference. And if it makes you feel better, I'll go look for sedatives to calm this patient. I don't think we need it, though."

The second ghost floated off to get the materials. The first ghost walked toward the gurney, shifting into a tangible form in order to tighten the straps. Fright launched at him, knocking him into a wall. He nipped at the straps, loosening them in order to set his master free. Rider ceased his screaming as soon as he noticed who came to his rescue.

"Fright, is that you?" Rider asked, his voice hoarse from screaming so much. "By the Ancients, what in Skylands did you do to yourself?"

Never mind that! They had to get out of here.

Fright stepped back as soon as he loosened the straps enough. Rider managed to slip his hand free and was able to undo the other straps. The ghost stood back up, becoming intangible in order to apprehend them. However, Rider was faster, leaping onto Fright's back and kicking his haunches in order to direct him back downstairs.

It was an absolute dream, Fright decided. He was riding off with his master once more. He'd feared he would never do it again, and here they were! Now that Rider was leading the way again, he'd succeeded in doing what he'd set off to do.

The two of them rode out of the building, swerving past the other patients and workers. As they hurried down the mountain, there was a sudden sound like a guitar, and it was noticed that the windows of the building shattered. Fright could only sigh at this. Oh Wolfgang.

* * *

Fright had hoped that his involvement in thieving would end after he found Rider. But, as it happened, Rider discreetly stole some clothing from a ghoul's backyard when they set it out to dry. While he didn't agree with what had happened, Fright understood why. Rider desired to ditch the asylum gown and into something more appropriate, and while he noticeably liked the way his "new" black suit looked, he also felt guilty about it.

And Fright knew himself to be unable to judge- after all, he'd corroborated as much with Wolfgang.

As they traveled back up to the surface, Fright noticed some more subtle changes in Rider. His master had them ride at a slower pace, rather than race through like usual. He was also more quiet, solemnly leading them through. Perhaps he was depressed as well, though the reason was unknown until they actually returned to the surface.

Having ended up in a sunny field one afternoon, Rider had them take a break. Fright watched as he sat on the ground, head between his knees. His shoulders heaved as he pouted, though it seemed that he was trying to restrain himself. Fright sat next to him, nudging his head in his side to try and make him feel better...only to be shoved away.

"I was just so angry, Fright. It was the only thing I could feel for days on end," Rider moped. "Nobody was complaining about me or anything like that, but those asylum workers took me there anyway. It's such a horrible place. I was starved, isolated, poked and prodded, each and every day. I watched as patients returned to their cells as walking puppets, unable to talk about the conditions. I don't know if the outside world is aware of it."

He wrapped his arms around Fright's body, finishing his speech with a woeful, "Oh Fright, why did you do this to yourself!? Curses like this only bring pain in the end!"

Fright set his head on Rider's back, sitting around as he sobbed. If only he could tell him that he was fine. If only he could tell him how far he'd go in order to rescue him. That he'd dive into a volcano for him. That he'd weather wind, sleet and snow for him. That he'd jump off the Skylands if he thought he was down there. If only he could tell him just how much he loved him. The truth of it was...he was happy so long as Rider was around.

In a minute, Rider's sobbing quelled, and he looked Fright in the eye. A smirk had crept it's way onto his face, and he pressed his forehead against Fright's. Perhaps he did understand after all.

"You're a good bird, you know that?" Rider asked him.

Fright chirped in understanding.


	30. Wolfgang: Cryptkeeper Escape

Chapter Thirty: Cryptkeeper Escape

It was only supposed to be a small raid. Just for the Doom Raiders to see what the Undead caravans were visiting the Golden Desert for. As far as they knew, no one came out here- unless they wanted Grave Clobber to end them, Wolfgang figured. These visitors couldn't be Skylanders, and the idea that anyone would want to come out here sent a combination of fear and excitement in his gut.

Mostly freedom, he decided after a while. It was just him and Pepper Jack, perhaps the only one who didn't mind his wild behavior. It was the thing that they'd taken him on for, but everyone except for the pepper man regretted the decision almost immediately after his demonstration of the raw fury instilled inside him. As they snuck toward the caravans, Wolfgang made it a point to be obnoxious, slashing the tires with the blade of his bone harp while simultaneously pulling chords on it.

"The boneheads won't know what they're missin' once we're done," Wolfgang beamed. "We'll bleed 'em dry, give nothin' up."

He noticed Pepper Jack become nervous as they came upon the center of the circle. "Could you calm down a minute, please?" he begged. "Something's wrong here."

"Nothin' to worry about. No one's around."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. They're setting something up for us."

He pulled something out of his pocket and set it around his neck. The object looked like some kind of necklace with a skull piece on it- an Undead charm meant to protect against curses.

"Pretty," Wolfgang teased him.

"Precautionary- they could have weird curse bombs in the area, and between the two of us, I'd still like my own flesh," Pepper Jack argued. "Luckily I've got some pepper bombs to fight them off, and if they come after us, I hope you still have the mojo needed to take them on."

They snuck toward the largest of the caravans, right up behind it. Voices were heard in the driver's seat- the only ones they'd noticed. Wolfgang obliged to being quiet for Pepper Jack's sake, sliding the bone harp's blade under the lock and slicing the chain in one easy motion. The two of them quietly opened the back doors, hoping to slide away the treasures inside.

But nothing like treasure was found.

Just mindless ghouls standing in rows, eyes vacant, minds empty, all of them wearing the same kind of hospital gown. It unlocked a terrible memory in Wolfgang, and for the first time in a while he found himself scared.

"Wh..what is...?" he stammered, thoughts failing to form.

Pepper Jack took a step into the back, observing a tag on one of the ghouls. None of the tags had their individual names, just one detailing what they were and where they were from.

" 'Cryptkeeper Asylum Drones Service' ?" Pepper Jack noted. "That sound familiar to you, Wolfie?"

Wolfgang sat down, feeling lightheaded and short of breath. The memory enveloped him, and he could only feel figures shoving him around, prodding him, chaining him, sometimes beating him. Cryptkeeper was just an awful, awful place, one where he'd found himself when first turning Undead.

"...Cryptkeeper's the place he ought to be..," he muttered to himself, almost gasping for breath. "...No other place perfect for a beast..."

"Wolfgang?"

"~Paranoia, paranoia, ev'rybody's comin' to get me...~"

"Wolfgang, tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm just a beast, right Pepper Jack? Only reason you brought me on..."

An eruption of angry voices pulled Wolfgang out of his trance, though he wasn't yet in the right mindset to take off running. It had been Pepper Jack to yank him along in order to flee. Wolfgang didn't object- in fact, once he realized what was happening, he pushed himself to keep ahead of the angry ghosts tracking them down. In their haste, the two of them tumbled down a hill, hitting the bottom with some force. While they'd made some distance, their pursuers were not relenting.

"Ow! I think I hurt my leg!" Pepper Jack yelped.

Wolfgang scrambled to his feet, trying to help Pepper Jack onto his. They discovered that the pepper man's ankle had started to swell a bit, making their escape harder. Voices could be heard above the hill, searching for them. It would only be a matter of time before they were found.

"Wolfgang, I'm going to try and hold them off," Pepper Jack decided. "You just run back to the hideout and let the others know what's happened so they can help."

"And just leave you here?" Wolfgang stammered. "No, I'm not leavin' you here. I'll carry you if-"

"They can't be allowed to find the hideout. Those Cryptkeeper dudes will be too occupied with me to go after you. I'll be fine. Now go."

Wolfgang stood by for a second, then decided to take the pepper man's word and hurried off. He ran as fast as he could, not daring to look back. He swerved left past a half-buried statue, turning down a path hidden from the rest of the desert. Wolfgang tripped over a fallen stone, nearly colliding into the spirit Bad Juju as she floated by.

"What in the blazes has gotten into you?" she asked him.

"...Pepper Jack...Cryptkeeper...need help...," Wolfgang panted.

The other Doom Raiders were alerted to the situation and sent to help. But they returned too late. When Wolfgang tried to show them, only stained sand and broken wood was left to mark the struggle. Pepper Jack, as well as the caravans, was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Only one brainwashed ghoul had been left behind, perhaps as a calling card. The Doom Raiders had ensured that there were no wires on him before bringing him into the Queen's throne room.

"Hm. I've never seen anything quite like this," Krankcase mused. "It's like there's nothing inside. A blank slate ready for molding."

Wolfgang stood by, silently watching this. A few days had gone by since the incident, and while the others had begun formulating a plan to find the pepper man, Wolfgang was unable to speak. Every time he tried to explain himself, his throat went dry. What could be said after this fiasco? How could he possibly forgive himself for what happened?

"Can these 'drones' do anything we tell them to?" the Golden Queen asked.

"Not sure. Doesn't seem like anything can go into his head."

"The Gulper seems that way, too. But with a bit of effort, you can tell him what you need."

They wouldn't be talking about that if they knew what had gone into that drone. The Doom Raiders were heinous villains, but there were lines that they were unable to cross.

"Would you say something, Wolfgang?" the Golden Queen suddenly shouted. "What happened wasn't your fault, so get over it already."

She was one to talk- she'd probably trade them all away for a grand fortune. Besides, it _was_ his fault. He knew he should've tried to stay calm about their discovery. He could've bothered to act a bit more refined when coming in as well- he'd probably alerted the ghosts to their presence like Pepper Jack had feared. He'd acted like the beast he was, and that had ruined everything.

Wolfgang left the throne room and walked outside of their hideout. The desert heat pounded on his back, his fur feeling heavy- he suddenly remembered how much he hated the desert. He spotted a trashcan and thrust his rage upon it, pounding it and hitting it on the ground. His commotion scared a wandering Dreamcatcher back into the hideout with a scream, and his anger wasn't spent until he tossed the item far across the sands. Wolfgang suddenly thought of Pepper Jack coming up to him and making some kind of comment about the event. "Trashcan steal your wallet, or something?" he might say.

By the Ancients, he missed him.

The end of the month wasn't far away- that was when the asylum brainwashed their patients, new and old. That much Wolfgang cared to recall. He started walking away from the hideout, heading toward the place where the caravans had been. He had to bring Pepper Jack home, and he wouldn't return until he did so.

* * *

Wolfgang wandered the Underworld for a bit, suddenly realizing that he'd forgotten the path to the asylum. He'd sworn not to go back there once he'd escaped, and most other things from that experience had been blocked from his memory. Time was of the essence, and so he held up a small shop run by ghouls in order to get his information. He wanted nothing more than to mess around and tear things up in his search- but the beast's way would only get him in trouble again.

"So, ladies and gents," he sneered. "Cryptkeeper. Ever heard of it?"

The cashier nodded meekly.

"Know the way?"

"W-we've got some atlases up here at the counter," the cashier muttered. "Y-you're welcome to take a look...if you'd like..."

Wolfgang did, snatching one from its shelf. He flipped through the pages before finding one that had a path to Cryptkeeper Asylum. It said that the northern path was the quickest way, taking only a few days to get there. That sounded appealing to him- he needed to be fast.

"You got building plans?" he asked.

"W-well, as important a landmark as the asylum is, they might have a building map for-for tourists," the cashier muttered.

Lo and behold, there indeed was one on the next page. Wolfgang tore it out. He started heading out, giving the denizens another sneer. "Thank you for your cooperation," he said callously.

He started traveling north, keeping away from peering law enforcement that happened to scroll by. Certain landmarks became familiar to Wolfgang as he went- there was a crooked old tree on the outskirts of Darklight Crypt, the cobbled stones of Cadaverous Crypt, and a wide line of memorial statues left for soldiers in some Battle of the Graves from long before he'd been born. Memories of his frantic run down the other way returned- that's right, he had been this way before. And he'd no doubt have to hurry back once he found Pepper Jack.

He'd brought a bag down here in which he carried a few supplies. On one night, those supplies had dwindled down to nothing but his building plans. A hungry Wolfgang spotted another caravan one night, wording on the side of this one reading "Food Trade and Distribution." They probably came from the surface with those goods- and the air definitely carried a whiff of meat that came from the caravan. Wolfgang stopped the caravan in its path, snarling at the two ghouls driving it and forcing them out.

They insisted that the only thing in the caravan was a bread delivery, though the caravan itself was too big for something like that. Trying his best to remain civil, Wolfgang demanded the key from them. They obliged, and Wolfgang opened the back. He found packaged meat lining the walls, and the scent wafted toward his nose. His stomach growled from the discovery, reigniting his anger. Even when these two were frightened, they still had the audacity to be defiant. He slammed the back doors and faced the ghouls once again.

"And here I was, thinkin' I might let you run off with your limbs intact!" he yelled. "You know who I am, but now you'll actually get to see what happens to those who hide things from me!"

Wolfgang prepared to slam his bone harp on them, but a sound alerted his attention to a faraway mountain. It was like some kind of roaring sound, and it sent shivers down his spine- the asylum workers were preparing their brainwashing machine, and he was running out of time. Wolfgang contented himself with stealing the caravan and driving off, leaving the ghouls behind.

The caravan hit a bump as he reached the side of a cliff. It lost a wheel and then slid into the wall. Wolfgang climbed out and observed his fine work. The back had opened up, spilling the meat out. The vehicle itself looked dilapidated. He'd completely lost it again- the caravan would still be okay if he'd stayed calm.

He hid the evidence of a caravan with a fire, before hiding off in a cave with some of the meat he'd managed to save. It was a perfect place for a beast like himself to stay. Wolfgang began devouring some sugar-cured ham, and noticed something step inside the cave. It was some kind of skeletal ostrich, meek in stature, carrying a ruddy bag in its beak- Wolfgang's ruddy bag! In his haste, he'd completely forgotten about it. Wolfgang stepped closer to the bird, taking the bag back. He took the plans out of it, making sure that they hadn't been ruined.

"...Ruddy old thing, huh? The plans are all I need, anyway," Wolfgang muttered. He settled back in, tearing a chunk of meat off and tossing it to the bird. Wolfgang studied the plans with a sigh, wondering how much time he'd wasted in this recent fiasco. If he managed to save Pepper Jack, he was sure that the pepper man would be mad at him.

The bird didn't go away as soon as Wolfgang had thought it would. It nervously crept up to him, poking its beak at the lettering on the page. He tried shooing it away, but it wouldn't relent. For a bird, it seemed rather intelligent and determined.

"Why don't you go back home now?" Wolfgang asked it. "You look like you could be someone's pet. I certainly can't have another mouth to worry about feedin', especially if they're goin' to be moochin' off me."

But the bird crept back up, pointing at the paper again. It seemed to want to know something about the asylum. Wolfgang remembered how the asylum workers would pick recently-cursed people off the road, turning them into drones. They wanted conformity, and even the smallest of imperfections were purged there. Might as well make a profit from it, huh?

"Has your owner recently been cursed?"

The bird nodded.

Ah, so they were on the same boat. They both had friends trapped in that horrible place. Wolfgang just began talking to the bird, telling him his woes. Once, he lied and said that Pepper Jack had sent him messages- saying the truth out loud would make it feel too real- but his feelings came out nonetheless. The bird seemed to understand what he said, and suddenly became more adamant in staying. Wolfgang didn't want to rope anyone else along in his mission, but he struck a deal with the bird that allowed him to come. The bird would be his pack mule, helping him keep track of the items he needed- though he currently didn't have anything else at the moment, it was a good deal nonetheless.

* * *

Wolfgang remembered how the asylum yard was always busy with activity from the workers. Caravans always seemed to be coming in and out, bringing new patients into their midst. Often they were recently cursed beings, much like he had been. He always watched as they were brought in screaming, having seen the sights of the broken and battered patients on their way up. A few patients, himself included, had tried scrambling out of the handlers' way in a futile attempt at escape, but they were always put back in place. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out how he'd gotten out before, if the asylum was as secure as he found himself recalling.

These thoughts came to mind when he and the bird found the spiraling towers of Cryptkeeper Asylum. Unlike most days, the yard was empty- everyone was working in the basement where they made the drones. Smoke piled out of the chimneys, telling them that the workers had been busy long before their arrival. They didn't have much time if they wanted to save their friends.

Bone harp in hand, Wolfgang made a move to sprint out there. However, the bird nipped him on the leg before he could do so. He nearly snapped into a fit of rage, but he quickly realized the bird's purpose. The workers surely outnumbered them- how was a beast and a pile of bones supposed to take them all on? Great, even an animal had more common sense than him.

So they quietly snuck toward the back of the building instead, keeping away from workers that happened to be out. They watched as mindless ghouls were hauled into caravans, probably off for a sale. Who were they going to go to? Moneybone? Hektore? The Golden Queen- if that's how she planned on getting Pepper Jack home? Wolfgang became nervous by the thought. The song he'd muttered to the pepper man when they'd found the drones came back to mind, and he played it over in his head to distract from his fear.

When no more workers came out, Wolfgang took the chance and zipped into the building, halting in front of a few brainwashed ghouls. Lines and lines of them could be seen, all with blank expressions, all in the same kind of garbs, as if they were some kind of military unit. The bird was close behind him, and he squawked loudly in an attempt to get the ghouls to respond.

"Quiet! You'll get us caught!" Wolfgang whispered.

The bird gave him a somber chirp, lowering his head in shame. His innocence was easily read through that body language.

"I'm sorry. They can't hear you. Their minds are gone."

Wolfgang feared that the same would happen to Pepper Jack if he didn't hurry. It was noticed that the ghouls had their nametags on- with actual names instead of an advertisement. He read one off- "Orson," it said. The workers went in alphabetical order as they brainwashed their patients- maybe they were already working on Pepper Jack. Wolfgang took his things from the bird, bidding him ado before following the line down.

He snuck down the staircase that led to the basement. Wolfgang read off nametags in order to ensure that he wasn't too late, humming the song as his fears grew. Ozzy...Parker...Patrick...Pearson...oh, it just kept getting worse and worse. Wolfgang made it to the bottom of the staircase, right at the end of the line. A skeleton worker stood guard at the door to a room bathed in green light that streamed from the window. Screaming was heard from inside- Wolfgang recognized the voice as Pepper Jack's!

Fear taking hold, Wolfgang dropped everything aside from his bone harp, launching himself at the skeleton. The two of them tussled for a bit, Wolfgang trying to keep the action quiet while the skeleton tried to put him down. His opponent carried a syringe containing a strange sedative in it, attempting to jab it into the beast's body. Wolfgang managed to wrestle it away from him, inserting the sedative into the skeleton's arm and watching him go limp. As he took the skeleton into the back corner, the screaming from the room stopped. Wolfgang's heart dropped to his chest- no, don't let it be true! He snuck toward the door to take a peek inside, wondering what had happened.

Several workers scrambled about, attending to the large machine on the back wall. Pepper Jack was seen tied to a chair, trying to squirm away from the workers trying to keep him still. Wolfgang sighed with relief as he saw that- good, he wasn't too late. The workers talked amongst themselves, commenting on something being wrong before they all headed into a back room. Wolfgang waited another moment before heading in, sneaking up close to Pepper Jack.

"Wolfgang, is that you?" Pepper Jack gasped.

"Yeah, it's me. Just...just me- couldn't stand it if the others came."

"Oh great."

"How are you feelin'?"

"Augh...my head aches. They've set me in front of that thing for half an hour. It's off right now, but..."

Wolfgang's eyes noticed that the charm Pepper Jack had put on days ago was still there. "The boneheads didn't bother takin' that thing off?" he asked.

"Suppose they had something special in mind for a Doom Raider."

"I guess it's that thing keepin' you safe from the machine. I've seen it scramble the brains of some strong-willed fellows, but none of them had charms like that."

"You mean you really have been here before?"

He wasn't sure where Pepper Jack had found that out. Wolfgang didn't reply.

The two of them directed their attention at the machine itself. It was shaped like that of a gargoyle, with a giant gaping maw that the workers stuffed the patients' faces in front of. There was some kind of ancient stone in there, and when the machine was turned on, the stone's energy was pointed right into the patients' faces and into their brains. Wolfgang gripped his bone harp tightly. He wanted to see that thing go, stone and all. For once, he didn't want to see anyone else suffer, especially in this dark place.

"Hey Pepper Jack, I'm goin' to do somethin' rash," Wolfgang muttered. "Everyone will probably come down here to see what happened, and they'll probably swamp us- but I hope they'll be more worried about the machine."

"Then go ahead and do it," Pepper Jack insisted. "I'd rather have something rash than nothing at all."

"I'll free you from that chair before settin' off to work. And...and I'd like you to follow the song I have in mind- it'll distract you from everythin' goin' on."

Wolfgang broke the ropes that restrained Pepper Jack. He directed his rage at the machine, smashing it into bits. The stone fell out of the metal maw, and he smashed that into powder as well. Alarms began blaring ahead of them, and it would only be a matter of time before the workers came back.

"Aah, my head!" Pepper Jack cried. "What do you expect me to do!?"

Wolfgang gripped the pepper man's arm, dragging him out of the room. "~I'm not sick, but I'm not well!~" he hollered as they hurried along. "C'mon, altogether! ~I'm not sick, but I'm not well!~"

"Alright, fine! ~I'm not sick, but I'm not well!~"

"Yeah, there you go! Now just repeat after me!"

Wolfgang rushed them out of the building, swerving past the brainwashed ghouls and trying to keep ahead of the workers spilling out of the basement. He and Pepper Jack belted out the song as loud as they could, drowning out the sound of the alarms. As they got outside, the workers by the caravans saw them and tried to attack- Wolfgang blew them away with a strum from his harp, his evil music knocking them back. The two of them hurried along, making distance from the awful asylum.

* * *

Pepper Jack didn't fully recover until the day they made it back to the Golden Desert, and Wolfgang had to carefully lead him around until then. Once he felt better, Pepper Jack spent much of his time complaining about the experience. Wolfgang allowed him this. He knew he had a lot to get off his chest. And Wolfgang found himself unable to really talk about it.

"...Days I spent chained to that wall, unable to move an inch!" Pepper Jack spat. "They insisted it was part of their therapy process, but it's something I've never heard of."

"Did they prod you?" Wolfgang muttered.

"Yeah, with a long, pointy stick that scratched the skin. It's also the same stick they used to give us water and feed us a single type of food a day. Know what it was?"

"Aspic."

"Three times a day! That's not something a man can live on!"

The pepper man blathered on, though Wolfgang lost his attention on the words as his own thoughts came up. His memories of that time came back to him after their escape, each of them as horrible as they'd felt before. However, he had no desire to try and suppress them this time. If Cryptkeeper somehow recovered from the blow he dealt them and decided to come back, he'd need to remember how he escaped so he could go back and help. And it had been the promise he'd made to himself upon his initial escape that fueled his work in the Doom Raiders.

He wouldn't let anyone treat him like garbage ever again. They'd have to suffer his wrath before that happened.

And he tried to tell himself that he didn't mind being a beast that his pack disliked. He wouldn't care if Pepper Jack began to dislike his fury. That was their issue. It wasn't in his place to care.

Wolfgang felt Pepper Jack grab his shoulder in warning. He'd nearly walked into the half-buried statue. Wolfgang noticed the pepper man's stance and decided that it reminded him of some kind of guardian. He knew how he acted- if Pepper Jack had felt ill will toward him, he would've just allowed him to walk into the statue as an act of revenge. But he wasn't mad. A flood of emotion welled up inside Wolfgang- he couldn't believe that Pepper Jack wasn't mad.

"You know, those asylum workers were pretty steamed when you got away from them," Pepper Jack began. "That's how I figured you were there before. So you dealt with the same stuff."

"Yeah, but I think they were rougher with me," Wolfgang said quietly. "I was just another beast when I was there."

"Are you okay about it? It must've been hard to go back there after everything you've been through."

"I'm alright. Just tired, I s'pose. It's been a long few weeks."

"I hear you. I think the two of us have earned a big meal and long nap when we get back. I'm sure Goldy will understand that...hey, what's up with you?"

Tears had begun falling down Wolfgang's face. He was trying his hardest not to cry at this point, but he was failing spectacularly in that regard. "S-S'pose they turned your mind to mush before I got there," he pouted. "You'd never cook another meal, or tell another joke, or have another chat with us ever again. You'd be next to dead, and it would be my fault for not controlling myself around those caravans."

Pepper Jack took him into a hug. Wolfgang stood there, taking in the pepper man's spicy scent. His pouts turned into big blubbery sobs. He just couldn't imagine what he'd do if the worst had happened.

"Deep breaths, there you go," Pepper Jack said. "You're fine. What happened wasn't your fault. It could've happened to anybody. And hey, if you do so want to talk about Cryptkeeper, you finally have someone to relate to!"

"...That doesn't help," Wolfgang choked out.

"I'm okay, you know. We're both alright. No damage done. No need to be so worried."

Pepper Jack released Wolfgang as he started calming down, motioning his fingers as if he was trying to take a picture. "I don't know about those asylum guys, but I just see a regular old werewolf here," he noted.

"One covered in tears and snot?" Wolfgang wondered pathetically.

"Apples and oranges. Now let's get back to the hideout- won't they be surprised to see the two of us?"

Wolfgang wiped his tears away. "I've really missed you, you know."

"I've missed you guys, too, Wolfie. Glad to be back."

 **Lyrics come from Lit's "I'm not sick but I'm not well".**


	31. Cynder: Demons

Chapter Thirty-One: Demons

A frog hopped along the grasses of Eon's Citadel, making its way to the marshy sections of the island's large gardens. Cynder stalked this frog, watching it hop along. Sometimes she'd pounce at it, but she always made sure she missed it. She wasn't exactly watching where she was going, causing her to bump into a leafy green dragon that was in the gardens as well. Cynder looked up at him nervously, his red eyes showing great anger.

"Watch it, ghoul lizard!" the leafy dragon, Camo, growled. "You could've stepped on my oleander sproutlings."

Cynder crouched low, nervous about her mistake. "I'm-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I promise I wouldn't have put them in danger on purpose. That's not me."

"I'll bet."

She backed away from him, taking care to watch her step. Cynder was uncomfortable with these confrontations. It had been a few months since she'd adjusted to her new life here with the Skylanders, and people were still looking at her like she was a monster. It didn't really matter, she guessed. That was how she saw herself, too.

Cynder flapped her wings and hovered above the grass, traveling by that means. She kept her nose to the ground and searched for the frog, making her way to the marshy areas where she was sure to find it. Voices were heard behind a few bushes, and her curiosity made her land and crouch over to listen. She poked her head above the bushes slightly, catching sight of the unicorn-dragon Whirlwind and the phoenix-dragon Sunburn.

"That Undead dragoness is weird, right?" Whirlwind asked. "I'm not the only one who thinks that?"

"Are you sure 'weird' is the word you want to use?" Sunburn asked. "I hear 'evil' is everyone's favorite term."

"No, she doesn't seem evil to me. Just weird."

"Well all of the Skylanders are weird. She seems weird to me as well, but also rather suspicious. I don't like the way she pokes her nose everywhere, like she's searching for something of ours. Doesn't that seem shady to you?"

"I guess, but we know other Skylanders who seem much more shady than her. And Eon's given her his trust, and his judgement is never wrong. It's only right for us to do the same. Come on, let's invite her to play dragon ball with us."

Cynder's heart leapt with a mixture of fear and excitement. She'd always watched the dragons play their special dragon ball game, but she was always too scared to join in. Before, they would probably tell her to buzz off. "We can't have you here, ghoul lizard!" they might say. Maybe they actually wanted her there. Maybe she could even make a few friends.

"I'm not sure...," Sunburn hesitated.

"Please Sunburn, it's not right to keep her out of these things," Whirlwind persisted. "How is she going to become one of us if we never let her belong here?"

"Hm, I suppose you're right."

Sunburn turned his head toward the bushes. Cynder lowered her head down, but the observant phoenix-dragon had already caught sight of her. "I'm guessing you heard all of that, didn't you, Cynder?" he asked.

"M-Maybe...," Cynder muttered.

"So how about it? Want to join us for a game of dragon ball?"

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Meet us in the courtyard in a few minutes, then. That's where the game's going to be."

He and Whirlwind flew off. Cynder flew the other way, heading for the courtyard. She found herself frightened of making the dragons mad, but her excitement overpowered that. She'd never felt quite like this before. It was an amazing feeling.

Cynder saw another dragon making circles around the clouds ahead. She recognized him as the purple dragon Spyro, her only friend. She excitedly flew up to him.

"Hey Spyro, are you going to join the dragon ball game?" she asked him.

Spyro looked at her with a smile. "I was planning on it," he confirmed. "Are you joining in as well?"

"Yeah. Whirlwind and Sunburn just asked me, and I told them yes. This is a really big step for me, isn't it?"

"I should think so. I haven't really seen you try and join in on our games. Are you nervous at all?"

"Nervous and excited. Um...could I be on the same team as you?"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure of it."

The two of them chased each other around the clouds, tagging one another in a daily activity they always managed to find themselves in. They flew back toward the island, making their way to the courtyard. Whirlwind and Sunburn were already starting to arrange teams. A medium-sized ball was at the center of the courtyard- the hefty dragon ball.

"Hey you guys, Cynder and I would like to be on the same team," Spyro shouted as the two of them landed.

"Okay, I'll take you both," Whirlwind decided. "And then...Bash, come over here with me."

Whirlwind arranged the two of them in a line, waving Bash over as the calloused brown dragon loped in line with them. Sunburn arranged his members in a row, consisting of a blue water dragon named Zap, a greenish dragon in metal armor named Drobot, and a frowning Camo.

"They've got three fliers on their team," Camo muttered. "That's not fair. Perhaps if we could split Spyro away from the ghoul lizard-"

"Calculations indicate that an even split of fliers and grounders would still not be achieved," Drobot estimated. "I have calculated every combination."

"Don't worry, we won't need it," Zap insisted. "I can carry the extra weight."

Sunburn stomped a clawed foot on the ground, ending all conversations. "Listen up!" he shouted. "We've set up two goals on either side of the courtyard, and that is where you need to take the ball. Fliers will be responsible for getting the ball to their team's goal. If the ball drops from the air, the grounders will be responsible for kicking it back up. No leg nips, no claw scratches, and no use of powers will be tolerated. Understand?"

Everyone nodded.

"Then let's begin."

Sunburn picked up the ball, he and Drobot taking to the air. Spyro and Whirlwind followed suit, but Cynder stayed where she was. She gave an awkward smile to Camo, insisting that her team could have two grounders as well. The ball flew back and forth from the fliers, thrown by Spyro, intercepted by Sunburn, knocked away from him by Whirlwind. The ball fell down toward them. Cynder leapt up and kicked it toward Bash, but Zap quickly moved in the way and tossed it up to Drobot. The air volley kept up until the ball sailed into Sunburn's goal.

"Zero-one for us!" Zap taunted them. "You'll have to be faster than that if you want to have any chance of winning."

"Oh, I can be fast," Cynder piped up. "Do you want me to be fast?"

"Zap, quit giving them ideas!" Camo yelled at his team mate.

The game continued. Cynder made it her duty to intercept Zap at every turn. Each time the ball fell down, she focused on veering him away from it so that Bash could get to the ball. Her method seemed to be working, as she was able to successfully keep Zap away and earn her team a new lead.

Near the end of the game, the ball fell down once again. Cynder and Zap bolted straight for it, nearly colliding into one another. She halted as a hot body of energy sailed above her back, attempting to harm her. Cynder turned her head to see Camo staring her down, scratching his red paw at the grass in fury. He stood like a guardian, ensuring that no harm would come to his friend. Sunburn teleported right next to the leafy dragon, looking just as angry if not more so.

"Hey! What did I say about using powers!?" Sunburn yelled. "No tolerance! No exceptions!"

"You should've seen her!" Camo argued. "That ghoul dragon was about to hurt Zap!"

Cynder crouched down, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm-I'm sorry! I swear, I didn't mean anything!" she insisted.

"Honestly, we've bumped into Bash a number of times, and it wasn't any skin off your nose," Zap sighed. "Why is it different if Cynder's here?"

Camo stomped the ground. "You guys weren't so ready to defend her a month ago!" he yelled. "None of you except purple boy over here!"

Spyro flew back down, standing right next to Cynder. "Knock it off right now, Camo!" he hollered.

"Because why? 'She did nothing wrong, it was Malefor'?" Camo spat. "You know what? I think I'm done with dragon ball."

With that, Camo stomped off. Cynder relaxed her stance, though not her spirit. The other dragons stood idly by, watching the leafy dragon storm off, wondering whether or not to go after him. Eventually they left him and dispersed to their own activities- it would be better to let him calm down before talking to him, right?

"I'm sorry I ruined the game," Cynder muttered.

"It wasn't you," Spyro insisted. "He's just uncooperative at times."

That wasn't true. She'd ruined the game, and they all knew the reason why. Saying so would just make the bitter reality come forth.

"You know, it could be your guys' opposing Elements," Spyro shrugged. "Life and Undead are natural opposites. I've heard that he and Zap didn't really get along until-"

"Magic and Undead are opposites, too," Cynder argued. "Yet we get along just fine."

"Yeah, well the difference isn't as drastic for Magic and Undead as it is with Life and Undead."

Cynder sighed. She flew off, hoping to be left alone. How silly of her. Of course she couldn't be friends with the other dragons. That just wasn't meant for her.

* * *

No, she knew why Camo was mad. She remembered every Skylander team she'd hurt while under Malefor's control. Cynder had tried to run away from them, had tried resisting the power in order to keep from hurting them. But her body seemed to oppose her wishes and attacked them all the same. Camo had been on one team with Sunburn and Whirlwind, the two of which were both seriously injured by her lightning. Out of everyone she'd hurt, Camo seemed to have taken it the hardest.

She couldn't blame him. Heck, she wondered why Whirlwind and Sunburn weren't on the same boat with him.

Cynder flew away from Eon's Citadel, making her way to a tiny grassy island that consisted of a single pond and tree. She'd found this island a few weeks back, and it was her secret refuge. There wasn't really anywhere in the Citadel where she could be alone, as each hallway was set on constantly reminding her of what she'd done to the Skylanders. And every other place in Skylands seemed to be a marker of the damage she'd caused. This little island was the only real safe haven that Cynder had, and as she landed on the grass, she felt more calm and safe.

At least, until she noticed that she wasn't alone.

An elven sorceress had made her way here as well. Her skin was cyan, a marker of beings cursed by Undead magic. She had a sort of winged black headpiece, matching her dark flowing dress. Cynder hid behind a tree to watch the elf, scared by her presence. Not because she was Undead- Cynder was of the same Element- but because she had trespassed on Cynder's only safe haven. Everyone hated her, and she didn't wish to be reminded of this. She didn't wish to disappoint another person today.

The elf wasn't doing much. She was laying on her back, watching the clouds float by. It was unfair- the least the intruder could do was muck up the place. This act seemed to be her taunting her authority. Cynder crept out from behind the tree, stepping tentatively toward the elf. As she noticed the dragoness's presence, the elf moved slightly, turning her head to see her.

"Ex-excuse me, ma'am, but you're kind of trespassing here," Cynder stammered, sitting as straight as she could in order to show authority. "This is my place. I come here to be alone, and...well, I don't really want anyone else here."

"I wasn't aware," the elf replied. "I'm sorry. But do you think you could allow me to stay here a little while longer? It's been a few weeks since I've adjusted to my new state, and this seemed like the perfect place to spend my time. It's a nice day today, and you're right- this is the perfect place to be alone."

No comment.

"When I was young, I neglected to relax like this. There were always more important things to do, I thought. Now, I think I should make it a point to relax when I can."

Cynder moved a few inches away from her, sitting at the pond. "Fine, you can stay," she decided.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Cynder pawed at the water, watching the ripples distort her reflection. She wished that she could wash away the evils she'd committed, right the wrongs she'd caused. No one was willing to let her try, and...oh great, the elf was bringing Cynder's pain to this island with her mere presence. It wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry that you're cursed like this," Cynder suddenly said. "It sounds like this was very recent. It must be hard."

"It is, but I'll live- you know, in a matter of speaking," the elf noted. "Life is about pain. Scars are what make us interesting."

She wouldn't be saying that if she knew what the dragoness had done. "And...and I'm sorry I can't really relate to you," Cynder stammered. "I was born Undead, you see. I haven't experienced your kind of pain."

No comment.

"And I'm sorry I tried to shoo you away from here! I didn't know about your-"

The elf sat up, frowning. "Stop that," she groaned. "The word 'sorry' loses meaning when you constantly apologize for the smallest of things. I'm not blaming you for anything. You don't need to worry."

"Well, that's just kind of my state of being, I guess," Cynder explained. "I can't stand hurting others."

The elf's expression softened. "You can't completely avoid hurting others, either. That's a part of life as well," she continued. "You need to learn not to be so afraid. Why don't you travel with me for a while and I'll show you what I mean?"

Cynder wasn't sure. She knew she didn't want to disappoint anyone else. And she didn't really want to go anywhere she'd caused damage. But maybe it would be nice to get away for a while. "That sounds cool," she decided.

The elf shook her paw. "My name's Hex," she introduced herself.

"I'm Cyn...Cynder," Cynder replied.

* * *

The two of them traveled in the Underworld for a few days, Hex trying to find something to help Cynder get over her fears. The dragoness felt surprisingly comfortable down there. All of the denizens in the Underworld were just as scary and menacing as she and Hex were. And nobody seemed to know that Cynder had been evil. They didn't glare at her when she walked past. They didn't make a move to run away or shoo her off. It was perfect.

They made it to Darklight Crypt, where Hex led her to a bakery. There was a crowd of ghosts and vampires sitting at the benches outside, where they ate large slices of pie. There seemed to be a crowd inside as well, flocking to the counter. It was a kind of situation that unnerved Cynder, even down here.

"Batterson's has the best pies in all the Underworld," Hex explained. "They're so good that almost every Undead species has given up their appetite for mortal flesh and blood for them."

"It certainly looks that way from the outside," Cynder gasped.

Cynder found herself surprised when Hex handed her some money. "Here's your mission," the elf began. "Go in there, and bring me back a rhubarb pie. You can get yourself something if you want, but don't come back without a rhubarb pie."

"Y-You're not coming in with me?" Cynder asked timidly. "You know, I've never exactly gone into a bakery by myself, and..."

"And if we don't start here, I have a feeling that you're never going to. I know you're scared by this, but fear is another part of life. You can either run away from it or face it. Show your fear that you're much stronger. Because I know that you're much stronger."

It was much easier to run from things, though. Cynder couldn't bear it to face her fears. She couldn't bear it to face the things she'd done. But Hex seemed to be counting on her for this one favor.

"Besides," Hex added, "it's just Batterson's. Nothing will hurt you there."

"Okay," Cynder muttered.

"You'll do great. Now stand straight and walk proudly. The way you present yourself leaves an impression on people."

Cynder stood as tall as she could, walking with big steps into the bakery. She paused in the entryway, taking in the crowd. Everyone hung around tables, talking and eating their pies. A few of them teased the janitors by poking at the wall memorabilia from a bygone age, threatening to send the artifacts to the ground. It was so crowded and noisy in there, but Cynder still had a job to do. She walked up to the front counter, ringing the tiny bell on it to get someone's attention. There was some scrambling under the counter, and a tiny Molekin chef came up to see her.

"Hello, tiny dragon. Welcome to Batterson's Bakery," the Molekin greeted her. "I'm Batterson. How may I help you today?"

Cynder set the money on the counter. "I need a rhubarb pie for a friend, and...something else with it, though I'm not sure what," she told him. "This is my first time here, you see."

"I get it. How does a pumpkin pie sound? In my opinion, you can never go wrong with pumpkin pie."

"That sounds good."

"Okey-smokey. I'll get that to you as soon as possible."

Batterson took the money and hopped down from the counter, heading into the kitchen. Cynder sat down and waited, looking around the bakery. A sudden commotion was heard from outside, and several ghouls came running into the bakery in fright. Hex was among them, heading up to the counter and turning her attention toward the entrance. She was in some kind of fighting pose, her hands glowing in some light purple color.

"Take cover, Cynder," Hex told her.

Cynder was confused. "I thought you said-"

"Nevermind that, just take cover."

Cynder ducked under a table with a trio of cowering vampires, watching Hex to see what was going on. She heard a smashing sound, and soon a large, brutish creature came into view. He was some kind of Goliath Drow, wearing a viking helmet on his head. There was a charm around his neck, protecting him from the realm's magic. He stomped around, making a big show of his strength and intimidating the bakery patrons.

"I hear ya've got the best pies in the Underworld," the Goliath Drow grumbled. "Why don't you give 'em up, so me and my army can get some chow? We don't have to fight."

Batterson poked his head above the counter. "We don't want you here, Brock!" he yelled. "You and your army can just go."

"Oh, you think you can chase us out? Wrong! I'll bring the rest of 'em in and you'll see what happens when you mess with the Drow!"

He was bluffing about bringing his army into the bakery. Somehow Cynder was sure of that.

"What are you waiting for already?" Brock teased them. "You gonna call the Skylanders here first?"

"We don't need them," Hex threatened him.

A barrier of bone brambles was summoned around the tables, blocking the patrons off as the fight began. Brock tried charging after Hex, but the elf was too quick to be mowed down. She avoided his moves, sending barrages of her own magic at him. Her strongest spells were sent at him, knocking him back toward the counter. But he wouldn't go down- Hex was using Undead spells, and his charm protected against the worst of the damage done that way. Maybe he was waiting for Hex to wear herself out before...

The thought sent a kind of passionate fury into Cynder's heart. She slid out from under the table, climbing over the bramble barrier. She shot lightning at Brock, dashing forth to knock him on his feet. Brock looked at her, fear taking hold. His eyes started at Cynder's brand, recognizing it and her.

"You...I've heard of you...," Brock gasped. "You can mow down armies...the-the Terror of the Skies...they called you."

"Then you should probably get away from here," Cynder said in a low voice. "I don't want to see you or your army around here anymore, got it?"

Brock scrambled to his feet, rushing out the door. Everyone waited for a moment, wondering if he might come back. Hex soon lowered the bramble barriers, and the patrons allowed themselves to come out of hiding and relax. Cynder still felt uneasy- now the Underworld knew of the kind of monster that she was.

"You did a good job standing up for yourself," Hex noted. "You've got some talent."

"Same to you," Cynder replied. "You know, there are a lot of things I can't stand, but I knew I couldn't allow that thug to have his way here."

* * *

In a short while, Cynder made her way back to Eon's Citadel, with Hex coming along. The dragoness was adamant in making the elf a Skylander- it was just too perfect. Hex, of course, had known before that Cynder had been Malefor's servant. Cynder figured that she stayed quiet about it once she saw how meek the dragoness was. They sat around in the courtyard as Cynder explained her tale.

"...And then I fought Spyro, and he was the one to figure out how to break the spell," Cynder explained. "You know, I thought dragons couldn't be mind-controlled."

"They can't," Hex insisted. "That cursed amulet was likely given its own sentience, so that it could control your body. Your mind and spirit were unaffected for the most part, other than the psychological damage that the experience caused, but the amulet gripped your limbs and forced you to do those things.

So she understood like Spyro did. "I was actually kind of worried about telling you," Cynder admitted. "I didn't want to chase you off before we got to become friends."

"Malefor's a monster. I know his tricks, and I know you better."

No comment.

"He might still have control over you. Through fear, I mean. You're so afraid of standing up for yourself because you think you might step out of line and become that monster again. Fear is a monster's worse tool. It can turn the wisest creatures into beasts that solely want to preserve themselves. That's why we have to be bigger than fear, so that we keep our wisdom and our good nature."

A ball flew at them. Hex stopped it in mid-air with her magic. The dragons had started another game of dragon ball, and they worriedly ran up to the two of them to see if they were hurt. Camo was among them, and he frowned when he saw Cynder. Whirlwind flew between them, frowning at Camo.

"Oh look, the ghoul lizard's back," Camo huffed.

"Don't worry about him, Cynder," Whirlwind insisted. "Camo's had burrs in his side all week."

Likely due to her part in the game. "Hey Camo, you're pretty worried about your friends getting hurt again, aren't you?" Cynder asked him.

This seemed to catch him off guard, as his expression became more quizzical.

"I'd take back what I did if I could. But I guess we can only move forward from the past. You can't keep worrying about this, or you'll miss other stuff that needs your attention."

Whirlwind's expression softened around Camo. "Are you really worrying that much about us?" she asked him. "It's been months since the incident. We're okay now."

Camo backed away from them. "It doesn't matter," he argued. "You'll just get hurt again. I need to be on guard, or else..."

Whirlwind wrapped her wings around him, allowing him to pout. "You know how many Skylanders there are here?" she asked rhetorically. "You don't have to be on guard all the time. We're a team, and we can depend on each other."

Cynder felt Hex set a hand on her shoulder. The elf smiled at her, congratulating her for taking her lessons to heart. Cynder felt that she could now accept her situation with the Skylanders. Now she might actually grow from her past.


	32. Starcast: Lost Feeling

Chapter Thirty-Two: Lost Feeling

Starcast had some kind of floating dream. There wasn't much to it. Just the feeling of floating around. And he didn't even feel like he was really going anywhere, simply floating around through an endless abyss.

The floating feeling changed, and he suddenly felt like he was falling. Starcast opened his eyes, watching the stars and landmasses of the night whizz past him. Oh, he _was_ falling. He thought he should be scared, but fear didn't really register to him. He felt...heavy, for lack of a better term. There was no moving or swerving away in order to save himself. He was meant to fall, and whatever happened afterward would simply happen.

He eventually crashed into someplace, somehow far too quickly to register exactly what happened next. He crashed into something in the someplace, tumbling down to the ground with it before sliding into a wall. The heavy feeling went away, and Starcast gained feeling in his body for the first time. His four arms pushed him up off the ground, and he noticed that little white dots twinkled on his chest much like stars did. His back felt hunched, though he guessed that this was normal. Starcast managed to stand up on wobbly legs, trying to take in the scene. He was on some kind of balcony, with a white floor and green-tinted walls leading to the interior of the building he was at. The balcony gave him a view of the night sky and...oh no!

An old man was seen crumpled on the ground. His blue robe was tattered, and a horned helmet had been knocked off his head. He wasn't moving in the slightest. Starcast picked him up, looking at the man's bruised face. He was breathing, but barely- it was then that Starcast felt fear.

He'd done this! It was the only reasonable explanation!

Carrying the man, Starcast ran into the building. He kept screaming for help, but no one seemed to hear him. The building was also rather empty as well, with nobody around to even see him. There was one room with people actually in it, consisting of a fish man, an elf girl and a short blue thing. Starcast burst into the room, his fear rising to maximum level.

"Someone help me!" he cried. "This man is hurt- I think I did it, but I didn't mean to- but I really need to help him! Please!"

The creatures leapt to their feet, shoving Starcast out of the room and leading him through the halls. They hurried him to a clean room with cots lining the walls, sick and injured creatures resting within them. Starcast was instructed to set the man in an empty cot, which he did without hesitation. He stepped back and allowed the creatures to tend to the man.

"I think there should still be some healing crystals in the back room- otherwise I'm not sure what we can do for him at this time of night," the elf girl explained. "Why now, of all the times to get injured?"

"He'll be fine," the fish man insisted. "It's Eon, isn't it?"

The short blue thing, deep in anguish, hit his forehead against the side of the cot. "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have made that wish to get out of anger management!" he whined. "Of course it was going to have massive consequences!"

The fish man and elf girl glared at him. "You think you did this?" they asked.

"Well I didn't mean for this to happen! I just asked for a snow day or something! Not this! Anything but this!"

Starcast backed away, guilt engulfing his heart. He couldn't help but feel responsible for this- especially since it really _was_ his fault. He started to leave the room, which he decided had to be the building's sick bay, and began walking down the hall. He didn't get far before he realized that he was kind of stuck here. Where was everything in this world? Where was he supposed to go? Starcast realized that he didn't really know what he was or what he was supposed to do. He was stuck in this place, with this guilt, with very little to do about either.

* * *

He stuck around the sick bay- well, sort of next to the entrance. He intended to see the man first thing in the morning, but he knew he couldn't bear it if the man saw him first. The fish man and elf girl insisted that what happened hadn't been his fault, but Starcast knew this wasn't true. He'd hurt the man- that _was_ his fault. He'd told himself that whatever happened after he fell would simply happen, but why did he find himself angry at the fact that something bad had happened? He didn't understand it.

A tired feeling began to set in at some point, but Starcast was done with sleeping at this point. Who had time for that when you had places to explore and parts of yourself to find? Besides, if he'd been more alert, then maybe he'd have been strong enough to avoid the man entirely. During his struggle to stay alert in the night, he heard footsteps stomping down the hall. Starcast stood up abruptly, wary of this possible intruder and determined to keep the sick bay safe. The intruder came running down the hall, swooping past and hiding behind him. Starcast looked behind him, lowering his guard. It was just a little plant girl.

"Shh. I'm hiding," the plant girl whispered, her plant bulb pigtails bobbing as she jumped up.

"Hiding from what?" Starcast asked her. "Is there something I should be worried about?"

"No, he's my friend. He's cool- he's just been a real buttface ever since we got here. I don't want to deal with him right now. And in any case, I told you to be quiet."

"No. You said 'shh'."

"Well I meant for you to be quiet. Now shush!"

The girl ducked into the corner where Starcast had been sitting. With a sigh, Starcast sat behind her. She began giggling, then tried to silence herself, only to start up giggling again.

"And I'm the one who's supposed to be quiet," Starcast muttered. "You'd be better hidden if you stopped giggling."

"I'm sorry, it's just so exciting to hide away with the seeker having no knowledge of your location," the girl replied. "Don't worry, I'll stop now."

And she did, when someone was heard coming down the hall with a shout of "Boom Bloom!" A poke to his back forced Starcast to scooch in further to the corner as to hide the girl better. The person kept shouting the girl's name, and eventually Starcast saw him walk down the hallway. He was a snake creature, wearing a large robe that hid his tail away. His posture suggested that he was both angry and defeated at the same time.

" 'Why don't you take her with you, Pit Boss'? 'It'll be fun, Pit Boss'. 'Don't be silly, she's a sweetie, Pit Boss'," the snake man muttered. "If I had my way, I would've just come on my own."

The snake man halted in front of Starcast. His tongue flicked in the air, appearing to sense something. Whatever it was, it wasn't obvious to Starcast.

"You look tired," Pit Boss suddenly said to Starcast. "What are you doing out here?"

"It's been a long night. I'm waiting up on someone," Starcast replied. "You look just as tired, sir, if I do say so myself."

"I'm looking for someone who got away from my sight. You haven't seen a little girl run into the sick bay, by any chance, have you? Yay tall, plant bulbs on her head?"

Starcast felt another poke in his back. "Can't say that I have," he lied. "Perhaps this little girl doesn't like you very much."

"I know that's not true. She wouldn't try to bother me so much if that were the case. But for the life of me, I can't seem to figure out where the heck she ran off to."

Starcast let out a small sigh. Boom Bloom had suggested that she liked the snake man, hadn't she? What did he know, anyway? He was just a lost stranger on this world.

"Would probably be like her to run into the sick bay, though. She always keeps running in there, even when I tell her not to. Those Skylanders have enough to worry about without her bothering them."

"Perhaps she's concerned."

"That doesn't matter- it's rude. And it's not her burden to bear, either."

Pit Boss halted again, sticking his tongue out once more. A frown set itself on his face, and he walked toward the corner, dragging Boom Bloom out. Starcast stood up as the two of them began to have an argument. Maybe another argument of the night, given their attitude toward one another.

"Let go, Pit Boss! You keep squeezing my arm too tight!" Boom Bloom yelled.

"I shouldn't have to be gentle with you when you keep acting up like this!" Pit Boss retorted with venom. "Why can't you just stay close to me and listen to what I say? Don't you know how concerning it is when I can't find you?"

"You know, I don't need protecting! I did just fine on my own before you guys found me! And besides, you said this trip was for me, so I should be able to go wherever I want around here! Isn't that right?"

"I'm your guardian! You can't just go wandering off without me!"

"Well I'm not a child! I can do anything I darn well please without you!"

Starcast became nervous that their fighting would disturb the people in the sick bay. He pulled the two of them apart, setting himself in the middle. "You know what? It's been a long night. You should probably save this for the morning," Starcast insisted. "So you're not so grumpy with each other. Doesn't that sound better than-"

"Don't you dare talk to us about what we should do, liar!" Pit Boss yelled at him. "You have no right to do so!"

"Quit yelling at him!" Boom Bloom spat. "He did nothing wrong!"

A loud _thud!_ was heard in the sick bay. Someone fell out of a cot. Starcast hurried into the room, finding the injured man on the ground. He was awake now, groaning with his injuries. Starcast ran over to him, helping him up.

"Sir, you took quite a hit, earlier," Starcast told him. "You should stay still until you're better."

"...But I heard a commotion in the halls," the man grumbled. "I thought I had a fight to break up."

The fighting had ceased for now. Pit Boss and Boom Bloom were standing around, watching them warily- though it was noticed that they were ten paces apart from one another.

"Oh, I see," the man muttered as he saw the snake man and plant girl. "I'd hoped that their visit to the citadel would be much more pleasant than it has been."

Nothing to do about it, Starcast supposed. He set the man back onto the cot, asking, "Do you remember how you got injured, by any chance?"

"Something just barreled into me from the sky," the man explained. "It's almost like someone aimed a blow straight for me."

"Well...I'm sure whoever did so is very sorry for what happened."

"Not likely. There are lots of people who'd like to have my head on a stick."

That only served to make Starcast feel worse.

The man suddenly got a curious look in his eye. "Say, you look familiar to me somehow. Don't I know you?" he asked.

"Erm...I can't imagine that you would," Starcast explained. "I'm an entirely new being to this world."

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Starcast, would it?"

"...Why do you ask?"

"Well, I just had this feeling that Starcast would be the name of the next Sensei that we brought aboard."

Sensei? Was that what he was supposed to be?

* * *

The issue was cleared up in the morning. Apparently Pit Boss and Boom Bloom had come from the Skylander Senseis' place of residence on a visit to this "Citadel" to inquire about finding a Ninja teacher for the young plant girl. Believing that only a wish could create the perfect master for her, the man known as Eon decided that he would wish for one, and that Starcast would be his name. And that was when Starcast himself crashed into Eon.

Maybe it was true. Maybe that was what Starcast was supposed to be. It was a fantastic idea, for sure. So Starcast decided to try and practice this- though he was less pleased when Pit Boss offered to spar with him in the yard.

"Don't hold back," Pit Boss hissed.

Starcast didn't know what to say as he gathered shurikens in his hands. He started off by tossing them at Pit Boss. The snake man, an adept spellcaster as he was, created a magic barrier that blocked this shot. Pit Boss summoned magic snakes to attack Starcast, who was only lucky enough to avoid them with a quick leap to the side. He waited until Pit Boss attacked again, dodging once more and throwing a shuriken at his hand, forcing him to drop his staff. The shuriken sliced the top of his glove, cutting the scales and making a bit of blood seep up.

"Not bad," Pit Boss noted. "Could be a bit quicker, though. Your moves were too obvious to read."

"But I threw you off," Starcast noted.

"I allowed you to."

Starcast released his tensed stance, becoming confused by this revelation.

"I wanted to see what you had to offer us. It needs work, but it's not bad. Though I don't think it's the kind of material that we're looking for at this time."

So maybe he wasn't a ninja master after all. Then what was he?

Starcast watched as Pit Boss directed his attention to Boom Bloom, who was making daisy chains in the field as the two of them worked. The snake man tensed up again, and he yelled, "Aren't you paying attention, Bloom? This is for you, isn't it?"

"I don't want to start this up again," Boom Bloom replied.

Starcast noticed that Pit Boss was much more calm when he didn't have Boom Bloom to fight with. Perhaps, happier even, and more willing to enjoy himself. He seemed to have forgiven Starcast for the charade that the two of them pulled last night. There was just something between him and Boom Bloom that Starcast couldn't guess at.

"Perhaps she can sense that you don't like her," Starcast whispered.

Pit Boss shook his head. "She's annoying, but I wouldn't throw her in a ditch," he argued. "If she'd just listen to me-"

"Or she might think that you don't like her. It doesn't really seem like it."

"You just don't know what it's like when we're not out here. Though we're not usually together, we're also not this tense."

Of course. What did he know about anything?

A group of the Skylander creatures came out of the citadel, surrounding Eon as he walked on crutches. Boom Bloom saw them and came running toward them, Starcast and Pit Boss chasing after her. They stopped right in front of the steps, Starcast holding Boom Bloom back before she barreled into Eon. She allowed him to do this, already claiming after just a few hours of knowing him that he was much more gentle than Pit Boss.

"You're looking better," Starcast told Eon.

"It's still going to be a slow recovery process," Eon added. "I'm not sure I'll be able to do much other than oversee projects until I heal up."

"Hey Master, is your beard magical?" Boom Bloom suddenly asked.

This made Eon raise an eyebrow. "No, I don't think so," he replied.

"You mean it _could_ be magic?"

"It's not magic, I assure you."

"But you said you didn't know. It could still be magic, and you just wouldn't know about it."

Pit Boss got in between the two of them. "Leave him alone, would you?" he told her.

She stopped questioning him, deflating at the comment.

"Ahem, Eon, I'm not so sure we have the master that we need," Pit Boss continued. "At best, he's another student, and we're not yet ready to add another student on board."

"I'm as sure about this as I was last night," Eon insisted. "Starcast is the master we asked for."

"Yeah, he's much nicer than you ever were," Boom Bloom spat at the snake man.

Starcast released her, becoming worried by this idea. "Sir, I'm really not that good," he said, siding with Pit Boss. "My technique is flawed."

"If you are who we're looking for, then it should come to you in a little bit," Eon suggested. "You were only born yesterday, weren't you?"

Starcast shrugged. He really wasn't sure.

"Well what else could you be if you're not the ninja master?" Boom Bloom asked him.

The short blue thing standing near Eon looked up at him nervously, quietly shifting away.

It was this question that made Starcast nervous. He had a certain still in this technique that didn't go by Pit Boss' gaze, but it wasn't at the status of a master. Maybe he was only here to hurt Eon, and prevent some anger management thing from happening. He'd certainly done that. Suppose he was here to stop things from happening- but he was unable to stop Pit Boss and Boom Bloom's fights. He really didn't know what he was supposed to be.

* * *

Starcast worked on his technique over the next few days, trying to see if he could somehow achieve this master status. He got better at it, managing to get his acrobatic skill up, but it never felt like it was at the level that a master should have it. In between that, he'd try and patch things up between Pit Boss and Boom Bloom. It didn't get better- if anything, it seemed to get worse now that Starcast was stepping in. The two of them were now arguing every time they saw each other. That definitely wasn't good.

Boom Bloom sat with him on the roof one afternoon, watching the sunset with him. She was now refusing to even be in the same room as Pit Boss. Fine by Starcast- the two of them were toxic around each other. It was noted that she was much more playful than she was when she was around the snake man. Pit Boss claimed that she was annoying, perhaps from her need to bother people, but Starcast didn't really notice it. If she was bothering him, he supposed that he didn't mind being bothered.

"In another minute, the stars will be coming out," Boom Bloom beamed. "I heard that you came from a star. Is that true? What's it like being surrounded by all those little balls of light?"

Starcast wasn't sure if he had been a star. He could only shrug at her.

"Oh. Well, do you know what stars feel like? Because you have those same twinkling lights on your body."

"I think those are just spots," Starcast suggested.

"Oh. They look more like dots, then."

"What's the difference?"

"I always assumed that spots were bigger. Spots and dots. If they didn't twinkle away on your arms so quick, I could draw constellations with them."

"Then perhaps you just need to get quicker."

Boom Bloom giggled about this. But then her demeanor became a bit more somber. "I have a bit of a more complicated question," she began. "What am I supposed to do to get someone to like me?"

It sounded like she was trying to ask about dealing with Pit Boss. Starcast didn't want to get into that again. "I've only been here for a few days," he explained. "I haven't needed anyone to like me before."

"I always heard that all you need for people to like you is to be yourself. Well I am, and it's not working. I'm being told that I have to shut up or grow up or any other variation. It stinks."

What did he know about anything? Everything he'd tried to do to help her had only made things worse. "I'm sorry you feel this way," he told her. "But I'm not sure how to help."

"I see," Boom Bloom muttered. She stood up, stretching. "I'm going to see what Eon thinks about it. Want to come with me so Pit Boss doesn't get mad?"

"I don't really feel like it," Starcast decided. "If he bothers you, why don't you rough him up a bit?"

"That sounds like a good idea. Thank you."

Boom Bloom left. Starcast stayed where he was, looking out at the sky as the stars came out. Did he really come from the stars? What had it been like? The only thing he remembered about that time was the floating feeling- and that hadn't really been helpful. Starcast found himself longing to go back there, to just be a floating feeling, to have no one rely on him to be anything.

Because at this point, he was just a lost soul with no purpose.

A tired feeling set in once more. Starcast decided to allow himself to sleep this time, finding no better way to spend his time. He experienced some kind of fighting dream, probably from his constant training from the past few days. He felt someone shove him awake, and he looked up to find Pit Boss standing over him.

"Odd place for one to sleep," the snake man mumbled.

"It was nice up here," Starcast argued. "I'm guessing you needed me for something, isn't that right?"

"Yeah, I did. I thought Boom Bloom would be up here with you- I needed to talk to her about something."

"She was here a little while ago. She ran off to find Eon."

"Well I was just talking with him, and she didn't come by."

"She's pretty mad at you. Perhaps she was waiting around before you left?"

Pit Boss shook his head, suddenly looking fearful. "I'm sure she would've run up to him, even if I was nearby," he insisted. "She'd probably shove me away."

"Maybe she's hiding away in the sick bay again," Starcast said.

"That was where I was when I was talking with Eon," Pit Boss insisted. "We probably would've seen her come in. Erm, what time was it when she left you?"

Guilt washed over Starcast. Of course he shouldn't have slept- he should've been alert to keep an eye on her! "I don't know. I didn't have a clock on me," he sighed.

"Why didn't you keep an eye on her, then? This place is huge- it's far too easy to lose someone in here," Pit Boss growled.

Starcast crossed his arms in somberness. "Well I have no idea where to look, either," he sighed. "Nothing to do about it but wait, I suppose."

Pit Boss became angry, as if he'd been offended. "Wait around? She could be hurt, and you just want to _wait!?_ " he yelled. "Where are your priorities at!?"

"Well, maybe she doesn't want to be found! There's nothing we can do if she's trying to stay away from us!"

Pit Boss' expression lightened- Starcast had surprised him this time. The snake man let out a sigh and sat next to him.

"She thinks you don't like her," Starcast continued. "Boom Bloom didn't really say it, but I know she feels that way. Maybe it's about what you said the other night- about not wanting to bring her along. That might be it."

"It would've been easier to go alone," Pit Boss insisted. "I wouldn't have anyone to worry about, then. Especially Boom Bloom- she likes to stick her nose in places it doesn't belong. I'm just trying to make sure she's safe."

"She says you're not very gentle about it."

Pit Boss scoffed.

"I've found that feelings are often stronger than knowledge. It doesn't matter how much you know about the truth. If it doesn't feel right, then it isn't right. Perhaps she knew that you didn't hate her. If she doesn't feel that way, it might not be true to her."

"...I don't really spend time with her at home, anyway. Wouldn't really be far off if she did feel that way, huh?"

Starcast didn't reply immediately. Was he actually helping this time? Was he helping instead of making things worse?

Pit Boss suddenly stood up, tongue flicking in the air. Starcast looked in the spot he was staring out at, watching some kind of figure attack some training dummies.

"She's in the yard," Pit Boss sighed in relief. "Do you mind coming with me? I doubt she'd want anything to do with me unless someone else were around."

Starcast nodded, feeling better after this revelation. Maybe this was his true purpose- to be a buffer! He could be a buffer so people could talk to each other without tearing each other to pieces!

* * *

The two of them came down into the training yard, watching Boom Bloom attack the dummies. With a thorny whip, she dragged one toward another dummy to crash into it. Sticky pollen shot up from her bulbs- she grabbed these with her whip and tossed them at the dummies, watching them blow up. She turned around, her expression a mixture of glee and anger as she saw Starcast and Pit Boss.

"Um, you know, Boom Bloom, while you're very fast, your maneuvering could use some work," Starcast began. "It's about hand-eye coordination, you see. If you improve on that, your enemies will have a harder time attacking you."

"I suppose...," Boom Bloom muttered, her glare directing itself toward Pit Boss.

"I think you and Pit Boss should talk to one another. Don't worry- I'll be close by in case anything happens."

Boom Bloom sighed and nodded. Starcast moved toward a tree, watching as the two of them talked. He was close enough to them to hear their conversation.

"For your sake, I hope you don't sound like a buttface when you give your statement to me," Boom Bloom grumbled.

"I've figured it out," Pit Boss began. "I don't think it's really you that's getting on my nerves. I'm just trying to find you the best master, and that's really hard when I have to watch you at the same time. You don't seem to really care about this, since you're busying yourself with other things and running off to where I can't find you."

"Of course I care. I just figured that this was the decision you were going to make. I've never had to worry myself with that before- why should I start now, especially since you're still treating me like a child since we've been here."

"The others were thinking that it might stir some independence in you- I wouldn't have brought you otherwise. I'm just better off working alone, is all. And I get very worried when you run off like that when I'm trying to focus on something else- suppose you get hurt and I'm not there to help?"

"You get worried about me?"

"Of course. I do care about you, and I'd feel bad if something happened to you because of my inability to help."

"You know I'm not a child, though. If anything were to happen, I could handle it."

"Part of me worries, is all."

Starcast watched as Boom Bloom leapt at Pit Boss, giving him a tight hug. He was glad that they'd solved their differences. It had to have been himself that helped with it. This really had to be his purpose, didn't it? To resolve people's conflicts? It felt right this time.

"Hey, you said that it was my idea for a master?" Boom Bloom asked. "Why not Starcast? He seems to know what he's talking about."

Starcast worriedly walked back up to them. "I'm not sure about that," he insisted. "I wouldn't call myself a master. I barely know what I'm doing."

Boom Bloom hopped back down, grabbing one of Starcast's lower arms. "Well it's my decision, and I can't imagine anyone else would be better," she argued.

"I think he might need a bit more time...," Pit Boss stammered, trailing off as he realized how adamant she was in this. "Perhaps, Starcast, you could work on your technique back at our home?"

He could try. It might not be so bad if he were to try it out with them. And it didn't make Starcast feel lost thinking about it. "I guess I'll come back with you, then," he decided.

"Great, let's tell Eon!" Boom Bloom cheered. She started off running, but halted when she realized she was yanking Starcast's arm a bit too hard.


	33. Aurora: Boss Blades Bootcamp

**Sorry I was gone so long. I've been busy, but I have been writing. Happy new year!**

Chapter Thirty-Three: Boss Blades Bootcamp

Aurora felt weak and clumsy in her heavy gray armor, but it was the best that she could do on such short notice. Training started today, and she had no other armor on hand. It was the only real opportunity for the world to see that she was Skylander material. She could wait for a moment when better armor came in for her to purchase, but by then her uncle would be on to her.

Though she supposed it was also kind of helpful. The armor came with a large helmet that covered most of her face, so there was that.

She and several other trainees were on a grassy island in the middle of what had to be nowhere. On a higher level, there was a village where the trainees could hang out after sessions, while the lower level was solely reserved for sparring and housing. Aurora sat in a row with several other trainees, watching as a metallic Sensei with a chain-like beard walked to and fro, observing them all. He was an intimidating fellow, but Aurora saw a friendly twinkle in his eye. It was something that the other visibly-shaken trainees didn't really catch on to.

"Today starts your long process into high-quality Skylanders, trained by the best teachers on the team in one of the hardest programs we will ever have," the Sensei began. "I am Chain Reaction, and I will be overseeing your progress. I expect that you all will give one hundred and ten percent of your effort into becoming the best that you can be! If you happen to fail, you will be sent straight to the Academy to complete the normal training process there. But seeing as I'm one of the best, the only way that could happen is if I see you lazing about instead of trying. This isn't a free pass- rough injuries can be expected here, as to simulate what it's like being out there. Now who would like to back out now before things get tough?"

A small fire wolf meekly raised his hand.

"Glad to see you're all in it for the long haul."

The fire wolf's hand lowered in defeat.

"You will find your names on one of the cabins over there, which is where you'll be staying for the whole month. I suggest you take this time now to find out who you'll be spending the next few weeks with. Come back to me as soon as you settle."

The trainees dispersed. Aurora attempted to get up, but the heavy armor caused her to tumble back down. Chain Reaction came over and helped her up. No one else seemed to notice this, so Aurora didn't have to feel embarrassed.

"Cadet, I feel like you'd do a lot better without that kind of armor," Chain Reaction told her. "You don't seem used to it at all."

"Well, I'm sure I'll get used to it in a few days or so," Aurora insisted, looking down in order to ensure that he didn't recognize her. "It's brand new, you see, and-"

"I want to see you perform at your best, and I don't think that armor will help. Why don't you spend this time taking it off, and then we can properly get started?"

Aurora nodded, marching toward the cabins. If it weren't for the armor, she would've ran toward them. Everything about today excited her- the people, the location, the challenge. She'd never been out on her own like this before- always hidden away, always kept securely guarded- so this day had to be seized to its full extent! She'd never felt so free...and so trapped at the same time. Stupid armor!

"I've got it figured out! It's alphabetical, you see!" a Sky-Faun yelled as he looked at a paper on one of the cabins. "Who's this 'Boss Blades McSlashinator' character?"

"Ooh! That would be me!" Aurora cried out. Nobody knew her real name here. If her plan was to succeed, then she needed to keep her identity closely guarded from everyone. She tried once again to clamber over to the cabin, and she suddenly felt herself get picked up. The person in question who was now carrying her was a tall orange crystal woman with yellow hair. She nearly looked as imposing as Chain Reaction, if she didn't seem so nice.

"Oh, this is fun," Aurora mused. "You're like some kind of guardian angel."

"Hm, I've never gotten that one before," the woman giggled, setting Aurora down in front of the cabin. "Hey, is my name on there? That would be 'Barbella'."

The Sky-Faun looked again. "Yeah, just above Boss Blades," he replied. "Hm, only three people to a cabin? This is a small group."

"Well, it is the advanced program," Aurora suggested. "I doubt too many trainees would want to give this a go. It's supposed to be a really challenging way to become a Skylander."

"I guess that makes sense. I've heard that five people have died attempting this program. It's a really serious deal."

He was gently shoved by Barbella. "Nobody has ever died here," she insisted. "No matter how hard it is, I'm sure the Portal Masters take precautions to ensure that no one dies."

"But this place is wrapped in secrecy. Few people know what it's like to be in the program," the Sky-Faun argued.

Barbella looked at the paper, stifling a laugh as she turned back to the Sky-Faun. "Buckshot, huh? You make that one up for yourself or what?" she asked.

"What about Miss McSlashinator here?"

Aurora cleared her throat. "McSlashinator is a very ancient name that goes far back to the time of the Arkeyans. It's so ancient that few ever know of its existence," she lied. "Though Boss Blades is made up."

Barbella chuckled to herself before stepping inside. Buckshot vanished in a plume of mist, teleporting away. Aurora walked in herself, looking at the cozy cabin with its mahogony walls. She noticed that Buckshot had quickly claimed the top bunk bed for himself as Barbella took the single bed. The Sky-Faun stuck his tongue out to tease them.

"Hey guys, do you mind leaving for a minute?" Aurora asked them. "I'd like a bit of privacy."

"Alright- we still need to get our bags from our transport ship, anyway," Buckshot agreed. "Want me to get your bag?"

"If you could- I might need a bit of time. It's a yellow travel bag, it should say 'Boss Blades' on the tag."

Buckshot nodded, teleporting away. Barbella left as well, leaving Aurora alone in the cabin. She worked on removing the heavy armor with difficulty, the metal seeming to restrain her. Eventually she got everything off except for the helmet, leaving her in a yellow tank top and dark sweatpants. Aurora wondered if she should leave the helmet on, worried that someone might recognize her without it. With a sigh, she took it off anyway, revealing her pale face and short blonde hair. Maybe she brought something along with her that she could use as a disguise.

Because if anyone found out her secret, she feared that she might never become a Skylander.

* * *

 _The story was that her family was kidnapped by a force of invading Drow. At least, that's what Portal Master Eon and the Senseis determined. By the time Chain Reaction and the others arrived to chase them out, they had already gone. Aurora's father had been related to Eon, making everyone think that the Drow armies had been targeting the old Portal Master. In spite of this, the Drow that had attacked her home that day had missed the infant safely hidden away upstairs- Aurora herself._

 _Maybe that's where it came from. Maybe that's why her uncle Eon was so overprotective._

 _As soon as the Skylanders found her there, Eon hid her away on an island that only he knew the location of, intent on keeping his one remaining relative alive. He treated her like a daughter, always visiting whenever he got the chance. He brought her supplies to help sustain her and keep her busy, and tried to play with her when he was most fit. If Eon was unable to see Aurora, he always sent a Skylander to check up on her and make sure she was safe. But he never allowed her to leave and explore the rest of Skylands._

 _At first, it didn't really matter. Aurora didn't need to seek out adventure, since the Skylanders always told her of their adventures. They had the most exciting lives, fighting evil and defending the good people of the world. Some of the stories sounded scary, like how the Trap Masters took on the dastardly Doom Raiders, but it all sounded fascinating._

 _"Don't you ever get scared when you fight bad guys?" Aurora asked Chain Reaction once when he visited._

 _Chain Reaction paused in his blade practice, smiling as he looked at her. "Of course. But I don't focus on fear in order to get things done," he explained. "My allies have my back, and as long as I know I'm not alone, I know that I can take on any task."_

 _"Are you like soldiers or something?"_

 _"No, our bond is stronger than those of soldiers. We see each other as more of a family, working together for the good of Skylands."_

 _"What does that feel like?"_

 _"That part is harder to explain. It's just something you have to experience yourself."_

 _And she yearned to since that day. Aurora wanted to become a Skylander, to see the world, to be part of a family like they were._

 _But Eon wouldn't hear it._

 _"I'm always concerned with watching my Skylanders head out into high-stakes battles," Eon always argued. "I can't have my niece marching out there to possible doom. Who knows what kind of things would go after you if they knew who you were."_

 _"Then no one has to know," Aurora always begged him. "Please Uncle Eon, it's the only thing I've ever asked of you."_

 _"I care about you too much to grant your wish. As long as I'm alive, I'll never let you join the Skylanders."_

 _She trained constantly in swordplay for the next few years, always showing Eon what she could do whenever he stopped by. But no amount of practice, or begging, or reasoning, ever changed his mind. By the time she reached adulthood, and Eon's spirit had been split from her body, she was more determined than ever to join the Skylanders. Since Eon was a spirit, and not "alive" in the technical sense, she figured that this was the right time._

 _And no one would ever have to know it was her._

 _Maybe the world didn't know that Eon had a niece, but it would never find out. Aurora dawned a disguise, and quickly ran away from home and signed up for the boot camp program._

* * *

The first week tested their agility and acrobatics, as Chain Reaction wanted to see how they fared without powers. Ranks were not listed, as Aurora had thought they might be- the Sensei insisted that it would make them nervous. Work was tough, but Aurora found herself thoroughly enjoying it. She enjoyed the challenge, and she enjoyed who she was working with. If this was what it was like to be a Skylander, Aurora couldn't wait for it.

On the day that Chain Reaction was ready to see their powers, Aurora found herself sidetracked by the fire wolf, the little canine having created some kind of fort out of the training dummies. He was seen flying around it, riding on his giant bazooka. At the top of the fort, the fire wolf hopped off the bazooka, grabbing a hold if it and shooting fireworks at the setup, causing it to fall down. Aurora saw the fire wolf land on the ground with a smile, looking far more confident than the shy little canine he'd been earlier.

"Ooh, that was really cool," Aurora complimented him, tightening the yellow scarf she wore over her mouth and nose.

The fire wolf looked at her in shock, then looked away bashfully. "Thanks, I guess," he said. "I'm not sure if it will really impress Chain, though."

"Don't worry so much about impressing others. I think what matters is doing good by yourself."

"I know, and I'm really trying, but I'm not sure if it's enough to help me pass."

"Well Chain says what counts is that you try. So long as you're trying, you're doing a good job."

The fire wolf quickly shook her hand. "My name's Flarewolf," he added. "I'm not sure we've ever really talked before- I feel bad about it now."

"Well now we can make it a point to," Aurora decided. "My name's Au... Boss Blades."

A whistle was blown, directing the trainees to the center of the training ground. Chain Reaction was standing over Buckshot and Barbella, the two of them poised for battle. The metallic Sensei directed the bystanders into a circle formation, insisting that they watch in this way.

"Today starts the next phase of training- honing your powers," Chain Reaction announced. "I need to see where you're at before this phase gets rolling, and what better way to do that than one-on-one duels with one another? Barbella, Buckshot, you two are up first. Let's see what you've got."

Barbella gave the Sky-Faun a smirk. "I'm going to wipe that silly look off your face," she insisted.

"Dream on," Buckshot dared her.

The Sky-Faun raised his bow, firing three arrows at Barbella. She quickly dodged them, knocking them away with her giant barbell. She summoned a giant earthen hand from the ground, grabbing Buckshot and trapping him that way. The Sky-Faun writhed in an attempt to get out, then smirked at the crowd before teleporting away. Aurora watched as he bounded around, shooting arrows at Barbella and teleporting before she could retaliate. Barbella was using the earthen hands to block the shots, appearing overwhelmed by the onslaught as she studied his pattern. Barbella waited for a moment, and then jabbed her barbell in empty air- jabbing it into Buckshot's gut. Though winded, he was still ready to fire another arrow.

"And cut!" Chain Reaction shouted. "I've seen enough."

The two of them relaxed. Barbella leaned on her barbell and Buckshot slumped onto the ground, both of them worn out, though the Sky-Faun looked slightly worse off.

The metallic Sensei directed his attention to the crystal woman. "Barbella," Chain Reaction began, "You seem to rely heavily on your physical capabilities rather than your elemental powers. This is fine, though you should consider all your abilities in a real battle. Perhaps you'll meet an obstacle that can't be beat with physical strength alone. You should take this week to really focus on elemental powers."

He knelt down and looked at Buckshot. "New to these teleportation powers, huh? In battle, at least?" he asked. "I've noticed you poking around different places with them."

Buckshot nodded.

"You're clever, I can tell. I could see you trying to utilize both your bow and your teleportation during the duel. But there's a certain balance to be had with that. You need to train more with teleportation, or else you'll wear yourself out. And you can't simply jump around like a rabbit in battle, or that will wear you out as well, and your patterns will be too obvious."

Chain Reaction helped him up, and the two of them weaved through the crowd to get water. Aurora held her hand up for them to high-five, which was gladly reciprocated. The metallic Sensei walked up to her, looking her in the eye as if he was reading something. He motioned for her and Flarewolf to come into the center, setting them a few feet apart from each other.

"Boss Blades, Flarewolf, you two are up next," Chain Reaction said.

Flarewolf tensed up, clutching his bazooka fearfully. "I don't know. Our choices of weapons don't really match up well," he muttered. "Not to mention...I don't exactly have powers like them..."

"Well you're not just squatting around with your bazooka, are you?"

Aurora pulled her blades off her belt, prepared for battle. "Flarewolf, your rocket technique. You can use that," she reminded him.

Flarewolf's eyes widened in realization, and he quickly hopped on his bazooka. Chain Reaction stepped back, allowing the two of them to spar.

Flarewolf flew in a circle around Aurora, before flying a few feet above her and sending the bazooka back down. Using light magic, Aurora quickly sped out of the way. The fire wolf picked up the apparatus, shooting fireworks at her, which she promptly blocked away with her blades. She hopped onto the back of Flarewolf's rocket as he started riding around again. Her grip was intentionally weak, allowing the canine to shake her off in hopes of gaining him confidence. The act seemed to surprise him, though he was nonetheless proud of what he had accomplished.

"And cut!" Chain Reaction shouted.

Aurora stood up as Flarewolf hopped off the bazooka rocket. Chain Reaction looked at the fire wolf first.

"Flarewolf, you would do well to relax a little during a fight," he began. "Not to mention outside of one. You're too stiff-legged. You need to allow the moves to flow naturally. If they flow mechanically, especially for someone with your skill set, they can be easily taken advantage of."

"I was doing well though...right?" Flarewolf stammered.

"Perhaps, but you looked a bit stiff to me, especially at the moment when Boss Blades was able to hop onto your rocket. Say, how do you do that, anyway?"

"Just intuition, perhaps."

"And you say you don't have powers?"

No comment.

"Maybe intuition will be your power. In battle, we must use everything we have. I'd like to spend some time training with you this next week, see what we can do about your nervousness. And if intuition really is the only power you have, well, then we'll really know."

Chain Reaction turned to Aurora. "Boss Blades, in a real battle, maybe you shouldn't tell the enemy how they can defeat you- just as a precaution," he added. "And don't be so gentle, either. It's okay, this time, but for your next sparring match, I'd like you to put a bit more effort into fighting."

"Okay," Aurora agreed.

"Oh, and after sparring is over, I'd like to have a chat with you alone."

That sentence made Aurora nervous. What could he possibly want to speak with her alone for?

* * *

Aurora was asked to see Chain Reaction at the edge of the village above them once the sparring sessions had ceased. Most of the trainees stuck with each other, wandering around the houses and mucking about in the gardens as Mabu eagerly came to see them. Aurora found the metallic Sensei sitting at a bench, sipping on iced tea as a tiramisu cake sat next to him on a plate. The cake made her nervous- tiramisu was her favorite, but Chain Reaction couldn't possibly know that.

Unless...he knew...

No, couldn't be.

But maybe...

Perhaps it was just coinci-

"Ah, Boss Blades, it's nice to see you," Chain Reaction greeted her, handing the plate to her.

He had to know, then.

"I'm alright, but thanks," Aurora insisted nervously, taking her seat next to him. "What did you want to talk to me about."

Chain Reaction frowned, though it wasn't out of any kind of anger. "So, have you dreamt of becoming a Skylander for a long time, Aurora?" he asked.

Oh, by the Ancients, he knew! "W-Why are you calling me that?" she stammered, trying to play dumb.

"I haven't told your uncle Eon anything about your being here, if that's what you're worried about. Though he is worried sick about you, ever since you ran away from home."

He hadn't said anything about it? Was her secret still safe from everyone? "You're not going to tell him anything, are you?" she begged him.

"I'd certainly like to, just to ease his soul. But this seems important to you, so I won't."

"How did you figure it out, anyway?"

"When you get to my age, you can read a lot about a person through their eyes- who they are, how they feel, and so on. I recognized you by the way your eyes held a sparkle, though I wasn't entirely certain. This afternoon, however, when I saw you allow Flarewolf to shake you off the rocket during your match, I knew it was you. You've always been gentle around people like him, and I could tell right away from that one act."

"Then if Eon comes to observe us, you better partner me up with someone like Barbella. I won't hold back from her or anyone else like that."

"Tell me exactly what you hope to achieve out here."

"I'm going to become a Skylander, of course."

"Yes, but I know that's not the whole story."

Aurora sighed, shoulders sagging. "I love my uncle dearly, but even though I'm an adult now, he's still treating me like a child. He's just so worried about me getting hurt if he doesn't let his guard up. I want to be a Skylander so I can be a part of something bigger than myself, keep safe a world bigger than the one I've known. I'm going about it this way so that Eon sees that I'm okay on my own. And if not on my own, then with a team of others that we trust."

"A very strong reason, indeed. I promise that you'll achieve your goal, Aurora. If he does find out, I'll show him why he's wrong to keep you from joining our ranks."

* * *

The week went by fairly quickly, and everyone was making strides in their training. Aurora heard Chain Reaction say that they looked like brilliant Skylanders. The trainees were probably ready to join the ranks at that point. But there was still one more hurdle that everyone had to leap over. One that Aurora found herself dreading, even after Chain Reaction insisted that he'd help her.

An evaluation from Master Eon himself.

"I heard from Chain that the evaluations are going alphabetical like our cabin assignments did," Buckshot told them in their cabin one morning. "Looks like the B-Squad is going first. Do either of you know how the Portal Master does these things?"

"You don't have some crazy theory for it this time?" Barbella asked him. "Nothing like 'he kills those he thinks failed this program'?"

"If he'll see us as Skylander material, that sounds counter-intuitive to his plan."

"Nervous?"

"Maybe a little."

"It's okay if you are. I'm sure we're all feeling it."

Aurora clutched the pillow on her bunk, studying the swirl pattern on it. "If I'm honest, I kind of feel sick to my stomach," she admitted.

"It's probably not as bad as we're building it up to be," Barbella suggested. "I'm sure everything will go smoothly. And hey, the three of us are going to get it over with right away. That's something, isn't it?"

Neither of them replied.

The door opened, and Chain Reaction walked in. "You're up, Barbella," he announced.

Barbella hopped off her bed, walking toward the door. "You guys coming?" she asked them.

"Might as well," Aurora sighed, setting the pillow down. "We're on deck, anyway."

They walked out, heading toward the field. The trainees were hovering around the cabins, anxiously watching as two figures came onto the island. A penguin with his hair tied back waddled toward them- Sensei leader King Pen. A bearded spirit floated next to him- Master Eon himself. The two of them looked very regal and important, as if they determined where the paths of their very lives would lead them.

"They're kind of imposing, aren't they?" Buckshot muttered.

"Shake off those nerves, cadets," Chain Reaction told them. "Nothing to fear here. They're just regular people."

Any chatter that the trainees had was silenced as Eon waved his hand over the crowd. "Greetings, everyone," he announced. "I am Eon, the Portal Master who leads the Skylanders. For the next week, I will be evaluating you on how well you've progressed through the boot camp. You will show me your full range of powers, and here to help me through evaluations is Sensei King Pen, who will be sparring with each and every one of you."

King Pen stepped into the center, taking a battle stance. "Come up, Barbella!" he shouted.

Barbella stepped forward, clutching her barbell. "I'm here," she announced.

"Fight to win, and fight until Eon gives the word. Got it?"

"I do."

"Then let's begin."

King Pen attacked first, thrusting his bladed flipper in Barbella's direction. Barbella swerved out of the way, blocking him with an earthen hand. The penguin launched back, bringing his blades together and spinning toward her. She thrust her barbell square on the blades, flipping onto his back and pinning him down. King Pen knocked her off, breathing ice to lock her feet in place. Barbella hit him again with her barbell, knocking him away from her.

"Whoa, they're really getting into close-quarters, aren't they?" Aurora muttered to Buckshot. She looked at him, noticing that the Sky-Faun was studying the battle intently. His eyes flicked about as he watched King Pen and Barbella go at it, seeming to track their movements.

"What are you seeing?" she asked him.

"...There's this kind of lag to King Pen's gait," Buckshot whispered. "Not sure if it's intentional for this test, or if it's from his funny walk...but two speedsters like us could take advantage of that. Keep him from getting too close to you, or he'll take you down and keep you there."

"That'll be hard for me. My weapons aren't long-range like yours."

"Then make sure he can't pin you down."

Eon waved his hand over the battle. "Cut!" he shouted. King Pen and Barbella relaxed, panting heavily. Eon floated over to Barbella, holding his hand out for her to grab.

"Congratulations, Barbella, you have passed the training program," Eon announced. "Welcome to the Skylanders. You can now wait in your cabin while I assign you to a team. Good job."

Barbella walked back toward Buckshot and Aurora, both of whom gave her a high-five.

"Now Boss Blades McSlashinator, you will have to come up here in a few minutes to show us if you're ready to become a Skylander," Eon concluded.

Aurora gripped the handles of her blades on her belt, trying to ease her nerves. Suppose she lost to King Pen? Suppose Eon barred her from joining if he recognized her? Everything she had worked so hard to achieve had come to this. She felt a pat on her back, and turned around to see Barbella smile at her.

"Don't worry, you've got this," she promised her.

A whistle from King Pen called her up to the center. Aurora walked forward, pulling her blades out and taking a battle stance. The penguin repeated his statement from before, and they began the battle. King Pen launched forward, and his clumsy gait was more obvious to her from here. Using her light magic, she quickly sped forward, knocking him off his feet. King Pen hobbled back up, breathing ice at her- this was blocked by her blades. He tried spinning at her again, and Aurora sped away. King Pen swerved in order to meet her, slashing his flipper at her. She blocked this with her blade, using the other to slice at his blade. The blade was knocked off, putting him off balance, and she promptly sped by and knocked him down once more.

"Cut!" Eon shouted.

The two of them ceased the fight. Aurora panted heavily, her throat feeling like it was on fire. She'd never fought that intensely before. Though there were slight scratches on her arms, she was otherwise unhurt. She watched King Pen get up, panting as much as she was. There was a scratch on his flipper- one that Aurora had left there.

"Eon, I think she's one that I need on my team!" King Pen shouted excitedly.

Eon floated over to Aurora, holding his hand out for her. She sheathed her blades and shook his hand, accidentally looking him in the eye. His brow raised in shock as he looked at her, recognizing her by the way her eyes looked, just as Chain Reaction had. Aurora's heart plummeted- he recognized her.

"C-Congratulations, Boss Blades," Eon stammered. "Welcome to the Skylanders."

Aurora walked away from him, trying to process what had happened. Her friends cheered for her as she returned to them, and she half-heartedly gave them a high-five. Eon had recognized her. What was to happen now?

* * *

Tests went on for a few days, to ensure that everyone got the same kind of luck. It took a little while for Eon to sort the trainees into teams, and on the last day, he eventually just decided to have meetings with each student in order to properly tell them. They didn't go in alphabetical order this time- each trainee came in when they felt like.

Aurora and Barbella stood by Chain Reaction's cabin, waiting for Buckshot to come out. The Sky-Faun walked out of the cabin, rather than teleporting, his eyes cast on the ground in thought.

"Yeah?" Barbella asked him.

"I'm a Sensei," Buckshot said. "That's where Eon said I'd be going. With the Senseis."

"Wow, maybe he thought you were good enough to be a teacher."

"Or he thought that I wasn't good enough to be a Skylander- those who can't do, teach, after all. I've never really understood that, by the way. I mean, why teach if you can't do?"

"You seem upset about your placement," Aurora noted. "I thought you'd be more excited."

Buckshot paced around. "I should be. I mean, the Senseis are the Uber-landers, the best of the best," he continued. "But I don't _feel_ like a Sensei. I don't feel like I _earned_ it. Is that odd to you?"

"Well it is basically your first day," Barbella shrugged. "I'm sure no one feels like a Sensei on the first day. Like how you don't really feel like an adult on the birthday that makes you one. You'll grow into that over time."

No comment.

"It's not so bad. I mean, Eon made me a Sensei as well. The two of us can work it out together."

The two of them looked at Aurora, sharing her nervousness. Over the past few days, Eon had made it a point to avoid her, despite his obvious desperation to speak with her after this whole month. He had to have been mad at her ruse- a ruse that, thankfully, most others were unaware of. In spite of his speech when her battle had finished, Aurora wasn't even sure if she was a Skylander now, and that made it all the more nerve-racking. Maybe he would bar her from joining again, after everything she had been through to get there, because even then he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. It gave her a sick feeling that hadn't gone away.

And so, days prior to this moment, she had told Buckshot and Barbella of her identity in secret, hoping that they could help her ease the sick feeling. She trusted them enough to do so.

"I should go in there, shouldn't I?" Aurora muttered rhetorically.

"...You know, Rory, if he doesn't make you a Skylander, it's really his loss," Buckshot insisted. "You're perfect for the job."

"Thanks."

She walked up to the door, silently knocking on it. The door opened, and Chain Reaction stood in front of her. He gave her a smile and invited her in. Aurora saw Eon and King Pen arguing about something, as their voices seemed raised and their stances seemed tense. This made her feel worse. She didn't need to guess what they were fighting about.

"King Pen and I talked about it last night, and he's adamant in making you a Skylander," Chain Reaction told her. "Eon, however-"

"Is still against it," Aurora sighed. "Ahem, Uncle Eon! I want to talk to you!"

The penguin and Portal Master stopped fighting, as Eon turned to see her.

"No, that was the wrong thing to say," Aurora corrected herself. "Eon, I _demand_ that you speak to me. Don't avoid me. Don't ignore me. Please listen."

"I've been listening to you about this," Eon insisted. "Ever since the idea came to your mind, I've always listened to you. I understand why you want to join. I understand that the bond shared with Skylanders is something that you desire. I'd love to allow you to join, but the stakes are higher than I think you understand. The Skylanders head into danger all the time. I always worry that they'll never come back. I don't want to worry about you not coming back."

"I know you don't. But I also know the risks, and I'm ready. I'm not scared so long as I'm on a team. And I'm not worried so long as I know what I'm doing."

Eon's brow furrowed, and Aurora could see thoughts running in his mind. Finally, he asked, "You're...you're not a little girl, anymore...are you?"

"I promise I'll be okay," Aurora insisted.

"Then I probably shouldn't treat you like one."

King Pen took a more relaxed stance. "Eon, I'd like to have Aurora on board as one of our Senseis," he said. "I think she has skills that could be passed down onto other students. You'd be a fool not to agree with that- you saw her out there."

Eon nodded. "Then it shall be," he decided. "Aurora, you shall be joining King Pen and Chain Reaction as Senseis. You can use your true identity if you wish- although...I wouldn't oppose it if you decided to go by Boss Blades McSlashinator again."

A flurry of emotions stirred inside of her. Aurora was going to be a Sensei!? She was going to be a Skylander!? Every part of her training and work at this camp had not gone in vain. She had finally succeeded in her life long mission.

"I won't let you down, Uncle Eon!" Aurora cheered. She made a move for the door, but quickly turned around to hug Eon. "I love you."

"I love you too, Aurora," Eon smiled. "And for the record, I'm glad that you were among my friends this whole time."

She released him, running toward the door. "I won't let you down!" she pronised him, opening the door and hurrying outside.

Aurora launched herself onto the grass, skidding in front of Buckshot and Barbella. The two of them stood up to greet her, having been anxiously awaiting her return. Something clicked inside of Aurora, though she wasn't immediately sure of what. Seeing her friends waiting for her made her...happy, for lack of a better term. They were Senseis. The three of them were Senseis. They were going to stay together.

"What did he say?" Barbella asked her. "Are you in or not?"

"I'm in," Aurora confirmed. "I'm a Sensei."

She grabbed the two of them in a tight hug. Tears of joy fell from her eyes. Aurora suddenly realized what it was that had clicked inside her- a bond. One that she shared with Buckshot and Barbella and everyone else she had met here. That was what it meant to be a Skylander. She had finally found what she was looking for.


	34. Chopscotch: Reform (pt 1)

Chapter Thirty-Four: Reform (Part One)

 _When Chopscotch was younger, she was absolutely terrified of the idea of Cryptkeeper Asylum._

 _The habits she had were considered odd to her family and neighbors. She always talked in rhymes, and found herself incapable of speaking normally. When bored, she'd hop around, as if she was playing a game with herself. She would also pull one of her eyes out of her head when trying to study something, and this unnerved many of the other ghouls around her. These habits drove her parents batty, and they would always give her the same threat; "You'd better knock that off, or we'll ship you to Cryptkeeper Asylum."_

 _Most of the Underworld was under the impression that Cryptkeeper did good work, helping its patients overcome mental illness and getting them back into society. There were even maps of the building's interior in most atlases, though these failed to get into the heart of what the asylum was really working on. Some of Chopscotch's neighbors had reported sending unwell relatives to the facility, noting that they had never come back home. Some even tried to visit them at the asylum, only to be turned away. "Their work is too important to have outsiders around," her parents insisted. "No need to worry."_

 _But there were also other stories coming in when the threat circled around her home again. She'd heard of recently cursed beings getting kidnapped by the caravans, carted off to the asylum for "anger management", even though they'd really done nothing wrong. Certain ghouls and ghosts trying to live freely and wildly were also carted off, usually before things could really get started. There was something off about Cryptkeeper Asylum the more that Chopscotch looked into it._

 _Her parents' threat didn't make her want to change her ways. It made her want to hide away from the world, to make sure that whatever evil that the asylum held did not touch her._

 _One night, she decided to run away to try and live on the surface Skylands. Packing only a few essentials, Chopscotch fled her house and traveled in shadow, avoiding anyone that happened to be passing by. She'd made it to the main road when a sound caught her attention. It sounded like music- more specifically, a guitar. She followed the sound to an abandoned barn, finding a torn hospital gown on the door. There was a tag on it that said "Wolfgang" . Chopscotch stepped into the barn, coming upon an interesting sight._

 _A scraggly-looking werewolf sat in the middle of the ground, strumming on a strange-looking bone harp. His black jeans were just as scraggly, tears in several places on the legs. The werewolf had put mud around his eyes, coating it in a fancy shape- though real make-up would probably be better. The werewolf was shredding out a fancy number on that bone harp, stringing the notes along in a fast-paced motion that filled Chopscotch with awe._

 _"Bravo! Bravo, yo!" Chopscotch cheered, clapping with glee._

 _The werewolf stopped, swinging his head around to see her. He seemed terrified at first, as if he wasn't supposed to be there, though relaxed when he got a better look at her. Apparently she wasn't something he was worried about._

 _"Not so loud. I'm tryin' to hide," the werewolf hissed._

 _"You're playing with a lot of pride for someone trying to hide," Chopscotch scoffed, hands on her side._

 _The werewolf looked at the bone harp sheepishly. "Ah, but music's the only thing makin' me feel better," he noted. "I guess my mind's no longer in the right place."_

 _"Let me guess; your name's Wolfgang, yes?"_

 _"Saw the gown outside, huh?"_

 _"You escaped from Cryptkeeper, right?"_

 _Nod._

 _"What's it like, especially tonight?"_

 _Wolfgang shuddered in a combination of fear and disgust. "...I'd rather not talk about it," he answered._

 _He seemed so battered and scarred. It made Chopscotch feel even more scared. What in Skylands did they do in that asylum?_

 _"The pain must be awful to bear," Chopscotch added with a sigh. "I've heard that Cryptkeeper doesn't care."_

 _"You've got that right," Wolfgang muttered. "I'm just...a beast. Maybe. That's what they kept tellin' me. I'm a beast that needs cagin'. Needs controllin'. That's...that's what they do. They try to control people, sayin' that it's their way of 'fixin' them. Oh geez, you got me to talk about it after all."_

 _Perhaps Chopscotch was attracted to people with pain, because she had the sudden urge to be near Wolfgang, to listen to him talk, to try and help him, to do anything for him. She hopped next to him, setting herself down._

 _"I have nightmares about going there," Chopscotch told him. "Cryptkeeper's something I've learned to beware."_

 _"You got any flaws that they want to purge?" Wolfgang asked._

 _"I'm a hopper- a rhymer, too. And my eye studies are nothing new."_

 _Wolfgang started strumming the bone harp again. "Well, the rhyming's kind of cute," he decided. "Let's see if you're a singer, too. Know any songs?"_

 _Oh, she knew several. But Chopscotch shrunk herself low to the ground, nervous about it. The rhyming thing had to be something that she needed to stop, right?_

 _"Listen, I've learned a thing or two in that place," Wolfgang began. "Whatever flaw you have, you need to make it somethin' that people would be sad to see go. Cryptkeeper can't take you in if your flaw is useful. Turn the other cheek to those that make fun of you, and keep showin' em that they're wrong. And most importantly, dont let_ anyone _treat you like garbage. No matter what happens. Let's see if your rhyming can be something useful to others through song."_

 _The rest of that night was spent in song, with Wolfgang trying to help Chopscotch sing. She felt a bit awkward about it, having been put on the spot, but it slowly got easier to do. And when words fell away from her due to nervousness, Wolfgang took it from there. That night, they wrote their own song, simply titled "Outcast Song", which only the two of them could really know._

* * *

Their paths had diverged quite a bit after that. They both made their way to the surface, but their plans caused them to separate for a while after that. Chopscotch settled into a small village, where she decided to practice wielding an axe as well as working on her singing. The villagers had given her strange looks like in her old home, but they often just let her be.

Wolfgang, on the other hand...became a criminal. He vandalized several villages, hurting innocents and stealing their property. He joined up with the Doom Raiders to help them hurt even more people. Chopscotch's heart broke upon that news- her first friend...a criminal. She was even forced to fight him once, when the Doom Raiders asked him to try and curse her village. She noted the glee on his face when he was initially playing that night, enjoying the havoc he was creating. It made her feel sick.

Despite everything, though, she still cared deeply for him.

She knew he'd been hurt- she just hadn't been aware of how much pain had been inflicted on him. That must've been the reason for all of that.

Chopscotch thought of this one day when she was visiting the Skylander Academy, looking for the Smasher students so they could begin training that morning. Upon entering the main hall, a familiar tune caught her ear. She decided to follow it, leading her into a dark corridor that didn't look like many of the faculty had traveled down there that often. Down and down she went, until she found a carved out hole in the wall that led to the outside. Chopscotch squeezed her way through, entering a small little garden that gave a view to the sky beyond. In the center was a familiar werewolf, shredding on a modified bone harp.

Her heart leapt with excitement- it was Wolfgang! She'd heard King Pen say that they'd brought on a few inmates from Cloudcracker Prison to become Senseis, but she hadn't heard that Wolfgang was one of them.

"Wolfgang, hi!" Chopscotch greeted him. "I hope you're not just stopping by."

Wolfgang stopped playing, looking at her in alarm- this time, she really was something he was worried about. "No, I'm a Sensei now," he confirmed. "I mostly stick around the Academy, though. Lots for me to do here."

"Oh, I'm so happy to see you! Aren't you happy to see me, too?"

"Uh, y-yeah. Of course."

"What class are you training?"

"Bowslingers. Odd for me, huh?"

"We should be cooperating!"

"Hm?"

"Bowslingers and Smashers together, you and me. We give them a class together at three."

"Three o'clock? Um...sure, sure. Meet you in the trainin' yard."

Chopscotch squeezed back through the hole, skipping in glee. She was going to hang out with her friend again!

* * *

Except it didn't happen.

Chopscotch sat next to a training dummy, waiting until three o'clock for Wolfgang to arrive. When that time came, he didn't come. She still waited, thinking that he might be running late. Then the day dragged on, and he still didn't come. And as the sun set, she knew he definitely wasn't coming, and that he had no intention of coming to begin with.

She was on her way out of the Academy when she ran into Pit Boss. Quite literally, in fact. In the hopes of catching his attention before someone else did, she accidentally collided into him, knocking some papers out of his arms.

"I'm so sorry! Oh dear!" Chopscotch moaned, helping him collect the papers. "I guess my presence really is unwanted here."

"Oh no, I'm glad to see you, actually," Pit Boss insisted, accepting the fallen papers back from Chopscotch. "Where have you been hiding all day?"

"In the training yard, waiting for a friend. Though I guess our friendship did indeed end. I waiting all day, and he didn't come- he left me there, and then some."

Pit Boss's eyes widened in surprise. "You found Wolfgang here, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes, why?"

"I really shouldn't...though...if it wasn't technically in the session, it might be fine..."

"Pit Boss, why is Wolfgang being shy?"

"This is a sensitive matter, Chopscotch. As I was earning the trust of our new Senseis, it was hard to get Wolfgang to cooperate. If I make one wrong move now, he might avoid _me._ I can't let that happen."

"Help me, please!"- she slid to the ground, hands clasped in a beg. "I'm here on my knees!"

Pit Boss sighed, twiddling his thumbs together nervously. "Don't let him know that I mentioned anything," he decided. "Wolfgang told me...well...he doesn't want to see you."

That statement sent a kind of blow to Chopscotch's soul. It slammed into her, shattering everything inside. Her old friend was avoiding her. She could hardly reply.

"He was worried about what might happen if you saw him," Pit Boss continued. "He told me to keep you away from him. I told him yes, but I never enforced this- I knew you wouldn't be mad at him."

"Wolfgang...he was hurt, but how, I didn't see. I'm mad at myself, and not he."

"He doesn't like letting anyone know how hurt he is. It's not your fault for what happened."

"I should've stayed by his side. I could've helped his anger subside."

Pit Boss knelt down to hug her. She buried his face in his shoulder, pouting silently. Yes, she should've stayed with him- why in Skylands she didn't, she wasn't sure. It could've been the two of them against the world, two outcasts showing everyone why they were wrong about them. They could've helped each other, and Chopscotch did nothing.

"Chopscotch, you've told us before how guilty you felt about his situation," Pit Boss argued. "But you're not responsible for what happened to Wolfgang. Sometimes when the world forces you to be alone, you develop a shell to try and keep from being hurt. And we're not sure of all of the things he faced when he was on his own, before meeting you or after. I'm not sure he would've let you know how he felt back then. But we have to do what we can to help him _now._ And we're off to a great start- he's promised not to do evil anymore."

"What if he does something worse? Something from sorrow's curse?"

"We're not going to let that happen. How about this? The three of us go on a scouting mission tomorrow in Mushroom River?"

Chopscotch released him, wiping her tears away. "You mean 'at'?" she giggled. "If we were in, we'd drown like a cat."

"Not unless we knew how to swim," Pit Boss scoffed. "With the three of us together, we can resolve the issues he has with being around you."

"And if not, it's the world's loss. You always know what to say, Pit Boss."

* * *

Pit Boss gathered Chopscotch and Wolfgang for the scouting mission the next morning. They traveled along the river, keeping an eye out for danger. Things were rather quiet, though. She noticed that Wolfgang was glaring at the two of them, seemingly bitter about the arrangement. He really didn't want to be near her.

"You know, Spyro and 'em did a good job of clearin' the area before," Wolfgang muttered. "I don't think anybody's comin' through here for a while."

"Ah you can never be sure until you've scoured the area," Pit Boss insisted. "Someone could've hidden beneath the rocks, determined to start wreaking havoc again. Or a new threat could've come here. Bandits, perhaps, or another bug infestation. You never know- that's why it's good to double check."

"Scouting missions are loads of fun," Chopscotch beamed. "I enjoy chatting with everyone."

Wolfgang furrowed his brow in confusion. "Do you just...talk durin' these things?" he asked.

"The...villagers might have rumors circulating about certain figures that we might need to keep an eye out for," Pit Boss fibbed. "Oftentimes, at least for the Skylander teams like the Trap Masters and Senseis, they enjoy..."

Wolfgang frowned. "...This is a bondin' trip, isn't it?"

"It's just that no one respects the Undead," Chopscotch quickly added. "If we stick together, we'll get ahead."

"I don't appreciate gettin' tricked, just so you know."

Pit Boss paused as they came amidst some pink flowers. He flicked his tongue out, sensing some kind of danger. His stance was tense, feeling something that Chopscotch and Wolfgang couldn't.

"Is this another part of the game, snake?" Wolfgang growled.

"No, no, there's something else out here," Pit Boss stammered fearfully. "It feels like a...a gust of wind."

"Doesn't feel windy today."

"I'm going to scout ahead. I'll holler if I find anything. If not, I'll come right back."

And Pit Boss slithered through the trees, out of sight. Chopscotch watched as Wolfgang set himself on a rock, huffing bitterly. She let out a sigh of her own- this didn't seem to be working at all. Perhaps it was being tricked that made him mad...no, it was too simple.

"I waited for you all day, and you never came," Chopscotch sighed. "It really was quite a shame."

Wolfgang grimaced, turning his head to look at the flowing river. "Well, I um...was called to do somethin' else," he lied. "Somethin' big."

"By who?"

"You know, erm, King Pen. He wanted me to help...to help...the short guy with glasses, what's-his-face."

"Heh. Hugo called for you?"

"Yeah...him."

"You're a bad liar. How often do your pants catch fire?"

Wolfgang let out a small chuckle. "You know, I'm glad you're still doin' the rhymin' thing," he admitted. "Forgot to say that yesterday. Didn't let anyone get to you, huh?"

"The Senseis like it, too. You and them are some of the only few."

"Don't let it bother you, do you?"

She shook her head.

"Glad."

"Yesterday, why did you lie? You...you made me cry."

Wolfgang lowered his shoulders, seeming to shudder. "...I made you cry, huh?" he muttered shamefully.

"Y-Yeah, and I'm not afraid to say it. I felt so much li-"

"I made you cry a lot when you heard 'bout me, didn't I?"

This caught her off-guard. "I-I don't know. Maybe...maybe so."

Wolfgang started strumming his bone harp, trying his hardest to stay calm.

"But what does it matter, anyway? It's in the past- tomorrow's another day."

Wolfgang stopped playing, slamming the bone harp into the dirt. "It matters cuz I forgot, okay?" he yelled. "I forgot not to make others feel like garbage, especially you. I was just so angry, and I had to make everyone else feel my wrath. It didn't matter what I did or who I hurt, because I decided that everyone had to share it. The first time in Cloudcracker, even, I was still determined. Even when I was workin' toward bein' a Sensei, I still felt it. And Pit Boss mentioned you and...well...now that feelin' has changed. I just-"

"You feel like garbage, right?" Chopscotch asked.

Nod.

"Getting to where you are today must've been quite the fight."

"You were my friend. I thought about how I hurt you, and I was just too disgusted with myself to face it. And I thought about helpin' you train the Bowslingers and Smashers as well- you seemed happy enough to see me when you found my hidin' spot. But I figured 'no, she hates you. She wants nothin' to do with you', so I decided not to come."

"You were my friend, too. I've missed you."

"I think the me you're thinkin' of is gone."

"No, he's just buried deep inside. The pain and shame has caused him to hide."

Wolfgang's shoulders heaved as he pouted.

"I want my friend back. Please come back."

Wolfgang turned around, rubbing at his eyes. "Think I can at least make yesterday up by helpin' you train tomorrow?" he sniffed.

"That will help make amends," Chopscotch agreed. "You're okay with me because we're friends."

A holler suddenly sounded from the trees- well, more like a scream. Pit Boss had found something, and it sounded like something big. Chopscotch and Wolfgang hurried over to assist him. They sped through the trees, making their way to a newly-made clearing. Pit Boss was nearest the tree line, hanging on to a vine as he tried vainly to fire magic projectiles at a large enemy. The enemy in question was a tube shark, a nasty fish with tube fins that sucked prey into them.

"A tube shark from Shellmont Shores?" Chopscotch gasped, suddenly feeling the creature's suction powers try to take her in. "What's it doing here, instead of the place with tube shark galores?"

Wolfgang disrupted the creature's attack, firing arrows at its head. "Sneak 'round the back. I've got you covered," Wolfgang insisted.

Chopscotch dove beneath the tube shark while it was distracted. She leapt up and smashed her giant axe on top of it, dealing a heavy blow to it. Pit Boss left from his cover, transforming into a giant snake to finish the tube shark off, throwing it into the river where it was carried away in the toxic current. There was no way it could escape.

"Helps to check, huh?" Wolfgang muttered.

Pit Boss regressed into his normal form, rubbing an arm. "Thanks for the back up," he meekly stated. "I didn't expect to find a tube shark here."

"So why was it here?" Chopscotch asked. "What had that thing gripped in fear?"

"Jet-Vac was surveying that area, last I spoke with him," Pit Boss explained. "He'll probably return to the Academy with answers. So should the three of us keep searching the river in case more of them show up, or do we just head back and wait for him?"

"Let's keep searchin'," Wolfgang decided. "Don't know if there's more of 'em blasted fish around."

Pit Boss flicked his tongue out, giving him a smirk. "Then let's keep going," he agreed.

The three of them continued onward. Chopscotch noticed that Wolfgang's stance became much more relaxed, showing that he felt comfortable being there. Her heart eased itself, happy to have her friend back. She ran up ahead of them, skipping along merrily.


	35. Krankcase: Reform (pt 2)

**Sorry I was gone for so long. Here's another chapter.**

Chapter Thirty-Five: Reform (part two)

Dr. Krankcase stood at the front entrance to the Senseis' Dojo, wooden spider legs stiff, hands shaky. He held a paper in his right hand- a speech to give to the Sensei he was there to see. His heart raced in his chest, nervous about what he was going to do.

Bad Juju hovered behind him, holding Junior in her arms. She raised a brow at the doctor, seeming to smirk at him.

"She _is_ your daughter," Bad Juju reminded him. "Technicality or not."

"I know she's my daughter, Juju," Dr. Krankcase grumbled. "But you know, she's not going to want to see me. I can tell she won't. She knew right from the start what kind of person I was, and after what I did back at that old lab, she's not going to want anything from me."

"Yet here we are."

"Only because you keep persisting."

"You wrote that speech and everything, though."

Sure he did. But it didn't matter. And he did want to make things right. But that didn't matter, either. Trying to make amends wouldn't matter if she didn't want anything to do with him. He didn't see much purpose to the visit with that in mind, so perhaps it wasn't even worth doing.

"We'll never know unless we try," Bad Juju persisted once more.

Dr. Krankcase nodded. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Someone opened the door to greet them, but not who they were looking for. This person was a blue lady with green kelp-like hair, wearing a black tasset with orange armor beneath it. She leaned on the edge of the doorframe, lips pursed in curiosity.

"Hello there," the lady, Tidepool, greeted them. "Hoping to get some sparring in with us? I'm afraid most of the others are out on duty, or at your Academy. Unless, of course, you need something else..."

"Is Boom Bloom here?" Dr. Krankcase muttered.

"Sure, she's in the sitting room, watching TV. What do you need from her?"

"Well...I don't know if she's mentioned me at all, at least by name, but I'm...her creator."

"Ohh! Yeah, she has mentioned you before- though usually not without the 'sleazy buttface criminal' after it."

Dr. Krankcase let out a nervous laugh, grasping the paper with both hands now. "That's how I thought she felt about me. Many of us reformed villains from Cloudcracker Prison are working on making amends to those we've wronged, starting here at the M.A.P. I'd...I'd thought that I had no one here to try and make amends to, but then after telling Bad Juju of one of my past experiments, she reminded me that Boom Bloom was here and...well, here we are."

"Junior and I are moral support," Bad Juju added.

Tidepool nodded. She escorted the two of them inside, leading them through the entryway. They turned left, entering the sitting room. Boom Bloom was there, watching the television as Tidepool had said.

"Hey Bloom, I have a visitor for you," Tidepool shouted. "Why don't you turn that off and come here for a second."

"Come over there? Is this a serious talk?" Boom Bloom wondered grabbing the remote and turning the television off. She looked at Tidepool, then at Dr. Krankcase and Bad Juju. In one quick movement, Boom Bloom dove under the couch, grabbing a thorny whip, and leapt on Dr. Krankcase's body. He found himself tied in the whip, Boom Bloom tightening it further and further, constricting him. Tidepool quickly pulled the plant girl away from him, and Bad Juju assisted him in getting the whip off.

"Let go of me! He's one of the bad guys!" Boom Bloom hollered.

"He came to see you!" Tidepool yelled at her. "He says he's here to try and make amends."

The plant girl stopped struggling in Tidepool's grasp for a moment. "Now that's really funny," she insisted. "Him? Making amends?"

Bad Juju unwrapped the whip around Dr. Krankcase. The doctor stood back up, patting down his now-torn red jacket. He realized that the paper holding his speech had fallen out of his grasp, and he scanned the ground to try and find it, unable to do so. Dr. Krankcase guessed that he'd have to do without it.

"Ahem, yes Boom Bloom, I truly am sorry for...for the way I've acted in the past," Dr. Krankcase stammered. "I regret-"

"You made me and several others into monsters, locking the rest of my kin in a basement," Boom Bloom frowned.

He looked at her frown, feeling guilty about how he treated her. "I...regret the things I did to you and...to them as well," he slowly continued. "If there was something I could do to make up for everything that happened between us, I would do it. The...the most I can do right now, though is just...ask for forgiveness."

"Unless you were somehow able to free my kin from that basement, I'll never forgive you. Ever."

Dr. Krankcase nodded, preparing to show himself the way out. He paused for a minute, an idea coming to his head. The two of them hadn't seen each other in years. He hadn't even gone back to see how that old lab was in that time, either. Perhaps...

"...I haven't seen that lab in forever. Maybe they managed to find their way out," Dr. Krankcase wondered. "It's worth the look."

"Do...do you really think that?" Boom Bloom muttered curiously.

"Like I said, it's worth the look."

Boom Bloom eagerly gripped at Tidepool's tasset. "Oh, Tidepool! Can we go!? I have to see if they made it out!" she begged her.

"Are you sure you want me along for this?" Tidepool asked her.

"Well I'm not going with just him, that's for sure."

"Alright. I'll make arrangements for a transport vessel to take us there."

Boom Bloom squealed in delight. It made Dr. Krankcase feel good to see her so happy, to be able to try and make things up to her. He hoped that whatever was at that old lab did not disappoint her.

* * *

Tidepool found an old Sky Baron transport vessel that was able to take the five of them to Dr. Krankcase's old lab. It took a while getting there, and the length of the journey made him more and more nervous. What were they going to find there? What would happen if they found nothing? He could hardly bear the thought of finding nothing and losing any chance of fixing things with Boom Bloom.

Junior had placed himself closest to a window, dragging Bad Juju over to point things out for him. Dr. Krankcase looked at the two of them, thinking of the kind of bond that the they must have shared. He suddenly felt jealous of that bond, wishing that he could have something like that.

"Is that old lab?" Junior asked.

"No," Bad Juju insisted.

"Is _that_ old lab?"

"Not that one, either."

"Is _that-_ "

Bad Juju giggled, patting him on the head. "Look, we'll let Krankcase tell you when we get there."

Yup, it was indeed sweet.

Dr. Krankcase put his attention to the windshield in order to look out for the old lab, only for it to move away slightly to Boom Bloom and Tidepool. Boom Bloom sat closest to Tidepool, who was piloting the vessel. The plant girl gripped her arm as she looked out the windshield, and when her gaze wandered over to Dr. Krankcase, she narrowed her eyes at him. Great, she still didn't like him. Though he didn't really expect her to after so little time of seeing him again.

"So...Boom Bloom...you seem to have found a good place with the Senseis," he noted.

"What are you doing?" Boom Bloom asked him.

"Small talk, I guess. Just trying to get to know you."

Boom Bloom poked at Tidepool's arm, trying to get her input.

"He wants to talk to you," Tidepool insisted, keeping her eyes ahead of her. "I promise, if he does anything that makes you mad, I will personally tie him to a flag post and throw fish at him when we get home."

Boom Bloom nodded with a sigh, crossing her arms. "Sometime after leaving that lab- I don't know how long after, and I really don't care- I met Ambush and Ember on a mission. I helped them out with looking for some kind of artifact that they needed to keep safe, and then they decided to take me home with them. I'm not sure why, though- I think I annoyed them half to death in that time."

"Maybe they didn't feel that way."

No comment.

"What...what things to you like to do?"

"Fighting, playing, oh, and it's a lot of fun to pull pranks with Buckshot. We usually trick King Pen and Chain Reaction on the weekends."

"The Senseis are really good to you, aren't they?"

"I guess you can say that."

"I'm glad."

He noticed a familiar shape out there- a kind of lopsided tower with a hat shape at the top of the spire. Dr. Krankcase told Tidepool to set them on the ground, insisting that this was the place. They came in closer to the tower before landing, noting how overgrown it was. Vines wrapped around the tower, circling it in intricate shapes. Some of them conformed to the lines of the bricks that made the foundation, defying the building determined to squash nature. This was indeed Dr. Krankcase's old lab, and it had indeed been a long time.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Tidepool asked him.

"I recognize it, too," Boom Bloom interjected. "This is his old lab."

The doors opened, and Junior practically sped out with excitement- though he quickly retreated back inside to Bad Juju. Dr. Krankcase understood why. There was this foreboding element in the air, seeming to speak of danger. It was too empty around here. It was too quiet.

"It might be good if someone were to stay behind and watch the ship," Dr. Krankcase decided.

"I'm still not going anywhere without Tidepool," Boom Bloom argued. "Bad Juju can watch the ship, if she likes."

Tidepool left the captain's seat, taking to their side. "Juju, will you and your son be okay on your own if we go in?" she asked the spirit.

"Don't worry about me," Bad Juju argued. "I've got enough might and magic to keep us safe."

So Dr. Krankcase, Boom Bloom and Tidepool left the ship, walking up to the dilapidated old lab. Boom Bloom led them around the base, eventually pausing at a spot where the vines simply grew to the ground without weaving about. She parted these, revealing a hole in the wall. "This is the spot where I escaped the first time," she explained. "We can enter through here."

Dr. Krankcase and Tidepool followed her lead, making their way inside. The halls in this area were gray, covered in mold. Little light made its way to them, forcing Tidepool to pull out a flashlight. Dr. Krankcase started taking the lead, following a staircase heading downwards toward a room that he was sure the basement was near. A creaking sound came up, differentiating itself from the steps of the three of them.

"So what exactly happened here?" Tidepool asked him. "I know Bloom told us the story, but-"

"I'm sure it's not different from her version," Dr. Krankcase shrugged nervously. "I was doing bad things, experimenting and such. I was a big coward back then, and when the experiment went south, I hid them all away."

"Interesting. I can guess why she doesn't like you."

"You don't even have to go that far," Boom Bloom spat. "You don't just lock things away like that. How is anything supposed to grow in a stuffy old basement with no light? What was even his purpose for starting that experiment to begin with?"

His purpose had been to find purpose, mostly to his own existence. He saw no practical use for the Eviliken monsters until the Golden Queen asked for them. He'd seen no practical use of his own skills until the Doom Raiders validated them. The pillaging and theft and experimentation had felt great, because he'd found a purpose for them. Nowadays, however, Dr. Krankcase was trying to find a new purpose. If his existence held no real meaning, then he wasn't sure what to think.

There was no way to explain that to Boom Bloom, given her stance on it.

They made their way to a green room, where Dr. Krankcase had grown all of those plants for experimentation. The tables had overgrown with succulent plants and cacti, almost joining up with one another. There was a crack in the wall, created by some vines, from which light seeped through. A bit of water was on the ground, probably explaining why the plants hadn't shriveled up after all this time. A door was seen on the far wall, slightly ajar, with a strange noise coming from inside.

"That's the basement," Dr. Krankcase gasped. "Somehow, I don't like this."

"Hello? Anyone?" Boom Bloom called. "It's me, Boom Bloom. It's okay to come out. No one here is going to hurt you."

She gave him a glance, as if to ask, _right?_ It made him feel awful.

"Whatever is down there, it sounds agitated," Tidepool warned them. "Best to give them a wide berth, to be safe."

Dr. Krankcase backed away from them, hiding behind a table. If the mutant plants down there were agitated, it was a smart idea for him not to be near when they came out. Boom Bloom knelt down to ensure that she didn't appear threatening. Tidepool stepped up to the door, slowly and carefully opening the door.

A mutant slowly crawled up from the basement, making its way to them. It was about the height of Boom Bloom, though since it was crawling around, it was hard to tell. There was a ridge of small red bulbs along the back of its head. The mutant looked at Tidepool nervously, and then turned its attention to Boom Bloom. Its eyes lit up as it recognized her.

"Hi there," Boom Bloom whispered. "You remember me, don't you? It's alright. We're going to get you out of there. Do you have a name?"

The mutant sat up a bit, pointing to a tag on its gray tattered clothes.

"236? You're one of the mutants he just gave a number to. That's so mean," Boom Bloom sighed.

"Can't he talk?" Tidepool asked worriedly. "Why isn't he talking?"

Boom Bloom shrugged. Dr. Krankcase admitted to himself that he didn't have the answer, either. He was sure that he had given all of the mutant plants the ability to speak.

"Are the others down there?" Boom Bloom asked.

The mutant shook its head.

"They're not dead, are they?"

The mutant shook its head again.

"Where are they, then?"

The mutant shrugged.

"I guess it doesn't matter right now, then. Let's get you out of here."

No, it couldn't be as easy as that, could it? There was still something else here. That had to be the reason for that foreboding feeling from earlier, right?

Dr. Krankcase made his way out of hiding, emerging slowly so he didn't frighten the mutant. While it appeared apprehensive around him, the mutant didn't seem to be too scared of him. They began to make their way back up, steps creaking on the ground. Dr. Krankcase found himself halting just as they returned to the hallway, finding that the creaking sound hadn't gone away when they stopped.

"What are you doing? Our mission's complete. We can go now," Boom Bloom hissed.

"Something's wrong. I just don't know what it is," Dr. Krankcase stammered.

"What are you worried about? If it's the creepy sounds, it's probably because this building is old."

Tidepool seemed to sense his urgency, shining her flashlight around the hallway. "His nerves might have a point, Bloom," she insisted. "There might be something else here."

They stayed put for a minute, listening to the strange creaking. A sliding sound was also heard, sending shivers down Dr Krankcase's spine. The creaking sped up a bit, becoming louder than before.

"Okay, maybe you were right," Boom Bloom muttered, hands shaking.

Dr. Krankcase pulled out a goo gun, shooting a ring around the three of them. The mutant jumped at the act, crouching behind Boom Bloom. She frowned at the doctor, though she seemed to appreciate the glowing ring that was now there. A creature could be seen lurking near them, and while it wasn't scared of them, it didn't dare move near the glowing goo. It resembled a dog, made from twisting vines. Succulent flowers grew from its body, ranging from red to pink. It bared thorny teeth at them and snarled.

"I didn't make that one," Dr. Krankcase gasped in fear. "Maybe it originated from the plants in the green room."

"Well let's chase it off, then," Tidepool decided, picking up her squid guns. "We need to get out of here. Krankcase, create more light from us. Boom Bloom, keep your friend safe."

Tidepool shot ink from her squid guns, making the creature back up a little. It shot sticky pollen from its bulbs, but Boom Bloom knocked them back with her whip, the spores hitting the creature and injuring it. The group hurried away, Dr. Krankcase shooting goo to light their path and keep the creature away. They ran through the halls, making their way to Boom Bloom's hole. A scratching sound was heard overhead, and Dr. Krankcase looked up to find the creature crawling on the ceiling above them.

"Hurry out!" Dr. Krankcase shouted. "Head back to the ship!"

"What are you going to do?" Boom Bloom asked him.

"Just go! I'll be fine!"

Tidepool and Boom Bloom nodded, taking the mutant and heading outside. The creature glared at Dr. Krankcase, snarling at him. He'd assumed that the creature was after him, and he certainly wasn't going to let anyone get hurt by his mistakes anymore. He shot goo at the creature, causing it to fall down in fear. It shot pollen at him, but he quickly ducked before they hit him. Dr. Krankcase shot more goo at the creature, this time hitting his mark. It gave a loud screech of pain, one that made Dr. Krankcase feel especially guilty.

Did it hate being this way? Did it wish it hadn't been made by him?

Dr. Krankcase dropped his guns, shaky hands up in the air. "I came here to make things right," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

The creature lunged to get him, but pollen shot at it, forcing it to yield. Boom Bloom rushed through the hole, wrapping her whip around the creature. She grabbed Dr. Krankcase by the arm and hauled him away. He found himself confused for a moment, wondering why she came for him if she didn't like him.

"What are you being stupid for? Don't let yourself get mauled by it," Boom Bloom hissed. "Let's go. Everyone else is on the ship."

* * *

The trip home was free from danger or conflict. Soon the Senseis returned to their dojo, mutant in hand. Dr. Krankcase and Bad Juju went on their way back to the Academy. The doctor felt...melancholy, for lack of a better term. This trip felt like a wasted effort, though he wasn't sure why.

"So I'm guessing things went well in there," Bad Juju grinned, her child mimicking her. "That had to be the reason for Boom Bloom running back to help you."

"You'd guess wrong, then," Dr. Krankcase sighed. "She was pretty snotty with me when she dragged me back to the ship."

"Yeah, what was your purpose for hanging back?"

Dr. Krankcase cast his gaze to the sunset at his side. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt because of me," he replied. "It was only after me, and no one else."

Bad Juju shrugged at an over-excited Junior in her arm, she continued, "You seem upset. Aren't you happy that you helped her?"

"I should be. It shouldn't matter that I didn't get what I wanted. But I'm not happy. And I hate myself for not being happy for her."

"You know that forgiveness isn't guaranteed right away. It just takes time."

He'd heard that one before. It might be easier if he could actually see that things were changing. But he still couldn't see a point to it. And he still couldn't see a purpose for himself.

They spotted Boom Bloom running up to them, and paused to let her catch up. She stopped right next to Dr. Krankcase, panting heavily. That familiar glare was present, but it wasn't as venomous as before.

"Tidepool told me to thank you for your help," Boom Bloom told him. "She said it would be rude not to."

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," Dr. Krankcase insisted. " Honestly, you carried the whole team. The Senseis are lucky to have you."

Boom Bloom's eyes widened in surprise, only for the glare to return. "I only saved you because I wanted to beat you up later. I wasn't going to let a monster take that away from me," she spat.

She hurried off, pausing to look back at him one more time. "Same time tomorrow, then?"

"If you want that." Dr. Krankcase shrugged.

Boom Bloom nodded, running off once more. The doctor waved goodbye, finding himself more confused than before. He'd created a strange mutant, hadn't he?

Bad Juju looked at him, giving him a sly look.

"Shut up," Dr. Krankcase retorted.


	36. TKC: Reform (pt 3)

Chapter Thirty-Six: Reform (part 3)

There was a large section of the library where the bookshelves had been smashed and the books had been scattered. It had been like that since the Doomlander sacked the library for that forbidden book. Stupid Kaos and his stupid Doomlander- it had taken the reformed villains forever to rearrange the books in there. Tae Kwon Crow busied himself one afternoon trying to set things back in order, finding himself incapable of leaving it be until the crisis was over like the Skylanders kept telling him to do.

"Say, what happened to that floral field guide by Onk Beakman? I knew it was over here," he wondered. "Unless the Doomlander stole that as well."

Buzzer Beak appeared behind a stack of books, carrying a slim book in his talons. The chubby little bird buzzed over, handing it to him.

"Thanks, BB."

Buzzer Beak squawked in response.

Hugo carried a large book with a burgundy cover into the library. The little mole spotted Tae Kwon Crow there, immediately hurrying over to him. There seemed to be alarm in his face, as if the crow wasn't supposed to be in there. Which couldn't be right- the library was free to all visitors.

"Tae, how long have you been in here?" Hugo wondered.

Tae Kwon Crow looked at the stacks of books he'd made. "Um...three hours, maybe?" he thought.

"It's very nice work, but you really don't have to bother yourself with that. I can arrange the books on the new shelves, if you'd like."

"Well I'm sure you'll do it wrong, messing up the order that we so meticulously set up like Eon asked us to."

"But I insist."

"I insist harder."

"Well I'm the librarian, and it's my job to insist with authority. I'd just feel better if I could handle it, that's all. "

Tae Kwon Crow frowned at that statement, something unpleasant stirring in his gut. He didn't like the way Hugo said that. _I'm the good librarian, and you're just the foul pirate who will mess things up for me._ Hugo didn't trust him, it sounded like. The statement held the kind of tone that most people had been giving him on each mission he undertook with the Skylanders- _you're just the foul pirate who will mess things up for me._

"Fine," Tae Kwon Crow growled. "C'mon BB, let's go."

Buzzer Beak set himself on Tae Kwon Crow's shoulder, giving Hugo a raspberry. The crow stomped away, leaving the library and walking through the halls. Aware of what repercussions his anger might cause, he made it a point to avoid anyone he came across, swerving past faculty and young Imaginators alike. He kept an eye out for his dorm room, hoping to simply hide away in there, for he definitely wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone right now.

 _Stupid Hugo, chasing me out of there,_ he thought bitterly. _How dare he wave "authority" around like that? I wasn't doing anything wrong. Heck, I'm sure Eon and Buzz would appreciate-_

Someone bumped into his shoulder, chasing Buzzer Beak off. Tae Kwon Crow stood there for a moment, fists clenched in unbridled rage. All self control he was keeping up to that point washed away, and his temper snapped out of control. All he wanted to do now was scream at the person who had crossed his path.

"Hey!" he shouted, whipping his head around. "How dare you..."

He paused, looking up at the person that bumped into him. This was a behemoth of a man, not quite the size of a Giant, but still dwarfing the crow. He wore the black-and-gold of the Senseis, tied together with the golden belt. The man's clothes were blue-and-white, boots with claws on them and a headpiece that resembled a horned animal's maw. The man was angry as well, indicated by the glowing of the animal piece's eyes. Tae Kwon Crow's anger dissipated, and he hurried down the other way in fear, hiding himself away in a broom closet.

 _That man. I know him. I fought with him. He's one of them, and no one mentioned anything to me? To him?_

Thoughts of his past suddenly came to mind- they'd been there for the past few weeks, but they were all he could think about while he hid in the closet. He had been a pirate, embarking on a foolish crusade to be what he thought was a superhero. There had been rules that he'd been taught as a child, rules that he thought the entire would had to live by, and he'd been set on enforcing them. Until the Skylanders had captured him, Tae Kwon Crow hadn't realized how he was hurting people in that quest- threatening them, fighting them, imprisoning them. That man, Wildstorm, was one of his victims, and he'd fought him in a bid to escape- which, given the man's immense power, was offered after a while. Even so, he felt sick thinking about it.

 _I_ am _a monster, aren't I? Just an awful pirate?_

He waited a few more minutes before leaving the closet. A familiar squawking sound called out once he did. Tae Kwon Crow surveyed the halls, finding no sign of Wildstorm anywhere. He just found Buzzer Beak hiding behind a trash can, calling out for help. Tae Kwon Crow picked him up and held him, thankful to have found his friend.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Buzzer Beak shook his head, burying himself underneath one of the crow's arms.

"Aw, I'm alright, BB. Not a feather out of place."

He looked down the hall, wondering if Wildstorm was searching for him. He had the sudden desire to find him, to try and make things up to him. But it would be unwise to seek him out after what had just happened. It was necessary to wait it out, at least for the morning.

* * *

The next morning, Tae Kwon Crow made his way to the Academy's quad, carrying a basket of goodies in his hand. Wildstorm was seen next to a tree, sharpening his large blade. Tae Kwon Crow slowly walked toward him, nervous about what might happen. Suppose Wildstorm attacked him out of anger? Suppose he besmirched the crow's name in front of everyone at the school? It was nerve-racking.

Buzzer Beak hovered near him, squawking in fear at the prospect of meeting Wildstorm as well. But Tae Kwon Crow was prepared to do this.

"Ahem...greetings, Wildstorm," he muttered.

Wildstorm looked up at him, curiosity in his eyes. "Hello," he replied. "Hawkmongous, right?"

"I go by Tae Kwon Crow nowadays- the disembodied voice seemed pretty insistent on it."

"What?"

"Um, never mind. Anyway, I've felt pretty bad about our past history together, and I wanted to make it up to you."

"Alright. What were you thinking of doing?"

Tae Kwon Crow set the basket on the ground next to him. "For starters, I made you a care package," he began. "Just to try and smooth things over. After that...well, I'm not sure. I figured you might have ideas, I guess."

Wildstorm set the blade next to him, taking the basket. "Did you pack food in this?"

"Oh of course. No one in their right mind packs a basket without food in it."

Wildstorm grabbed an apple from the basket, biting into it. "Well, this is good for starters, but it in no way makes up for everything you've done."

"I know."

"How about this? Prove that you're different now than you were back then. Go on a mission with me. We'll see what kind of hero you are."

Oh, a mission? Tae Kwon Crow wasn't sure about that. He hadn't enjoyed going on missions as of late. Nothing he'd done on them had made him feel like a hero. But...he wanted to make it up to Wildstorm.

"I'm yours to command," Tae Kwon Crow insisted.

Buzzer Beak squawked in disbelief, his eyes showing nervousness at the idea. Tae Kwon Crow clamped the little bird's beak, giving the knight a reassuring grin.

Wildstorm got up, grabbing his blade. He gripped Tae Kwon Crow by the arm, leading him to the training yard where some of the other Senseis were working with Imaginators. Wildstorm waved over to King Pen, grabbing his attention. The penguin waddled over to them, a brow raised in curiosity.

"King Pen, are there any available missions for us?" Wildstorm demanded.

King Pen shrugged, looking back to the Brawlers that anxiously waited for him. "You could possibly take a scouting mission on your own, if you wanted to get out that badly," he suggested.

"You know I prefer to have an idea on the enemy I'm fighting."

"Right. Let's see...well, there's always something going on in Calamity City, though I can't determine what you'll find. If you want specific, you can go into the Rat Kingdom for a while."

"Ugh, rats. I guess we can explore down there."

"Cool. Oh, and if you find any gear, remember to bring it back for the Imaginators- they just love getting new goodies."

Wildstorm nodded, dragging Tae Kwon Crow away. "Do you think you can handle rats, 'Tae Kwon Crow'?" he asked him.

"They're just rats, right?" Tae Kwon Crow thought. "Should be no problem."

"Best to stay on your toes, regardless."

* * *

The Rat Kingdom turned out to be an unpleasant place. It was a dark, smelly dungeon-like place, pathways built like mazes. It was also rather cold and damp, with the ground squishing beneath them from...actually, Tae Kwon Crow didn't want to know what it was.

Then there were the rats themselves.

By the Ancients, the rats.

They were always crawling about, varying in different, gigantic sizes. They attacked with different weapons- hammers, claws, stinky cheese. For every one that Tae Kwon Crow took down, there were ten that took its place. Or twenty. Thirty? Honestly, it was hard to count.

Wildstorm always directed their actions. When he said to hang back, Tae Kwon Crow did. When he said to cover him, he did just that. At one point, an army of rats swarmed them, and Wildstorm directed them to hide in a crevice large enough to house them. Tae Kwon Crow followed his orders without question.

He hoped that if he did everything he was asked, Wildstorm might forgive him for what happened long ago.

"It's like this place is infested, or something," Tae Kwon Crow panted, settling into the crevice.

"It _is_ infested," Wildstorm replied. "They don't call it the Rat Kingdom for nothing. Have you not fought rats until now?"

"Sort of...if you count the smaller bilge rats."

No comment.

"Ah, you don't, then."

Wildstorm let out a friendly chuckle. Whatever it was that the crow had said, it seemed to have amused him. Tae Kwon Crow felt good about that. Perhaps things were getting better.

"Still think we're better off knowing what the threat is?" Tae Kwon Crow asked.

"It's always better," Wildstorm insisted. "Last time I went in blind...well, I'm sure you know."

That made him feel worse. Things weren't getting better, were they?

Frantic squawking outside of the crevice made Tae Kwon Crow's heart drop to his stomach. His eyes scanned the crevice, noticing that Buzzer Beak was not with them. He stood up slightly, observing the scene outside. The army had calmed down a bit, instead observing the chubby little bird. A riff rat was on all fours, sniffing at Buzzer Beak, poking a claw in the bird's direction. There seemed to be a hunger in the riff rat's eyes, hoping to have the bird as a snack.

"Wildstorm, they've got Buzzer Beak," Tae Kwon Crow whispered nervously. "We have to get out there."

Wildstorm drew his gaze above the crevice, but slowly sank back down. "We can't go back up yet, or else we'll have the army on our backs again," he argued. "I'll see if I can call for backup. Just hang tight."

Now the riff rat was directly touching Buzzer Beak, plucking a feather off in an attempt to tease him. Buzzer Beak squawked again, calling for help.

"Tae, get back down," Wildstorm hissed.

The dread in his heart grew larger, watching as two more riff rats started nosing at Buzzer Beak.

"Get. Down," Wildstorm threatened, his voice giving a low growl.

He couldn't. He just couldn't. "Let's just make a run for it," Tae Kwon Crow argued. "No time to think."

"Tae!"

But Tae Kwon Crow was already running. He swooped past the riff rats, sliding away and grabbing Buzzer Beak. He tripped up slightly as he tried to get back upright, but managed to do so. Tae Kwon Crow frantically bolted away from the army chasing after him, clutching Buzzer Beak to his chest. He halted as he came to a high wall, trapped there as the army caught up. Tae Kwon Crow hid the little bird away in his shirt and scaled the wall, making his way to a ledge they hadn't found before.

Panting, he watched as the rats tried in vain to climb up to him, scrambling on top of one another and failing to get up. Their attention was suddenly averted from him, Wildstorm rushing in. The knight's animal piece eyes were glowing in anger as he fought off the rats coming near him. He made his way around, becoming trapped by the wall as he reached it. Tae Kwon Crow lowered a hand down, and Wildstorm spotted him and grabbed it. The crow hoisted him up, and they both found refuge on the ledge as the rats scrambled to try and reach, unable to do so.

Tae Kwon Crow found himself laughing a tiny bit. "They're strength isn't intelligence, huh Wild...?"

He stopped, looking at Wildstorm. There was a gash on his right leg, a bit of blood seeping out of the armor. The animal piece's eyes were still glaring with anger, and he stood in a menacing position. Tae Kwon Crow knelt down, guilty about what had happened.

"Stay down, I said. Stay down, and allow me to call for back up," Wildstorm growled angrily. "And what do you do? You disobey my orders and run out there, nearly getting the both of us killed. You wanted to prove to me that you were different than before, but I saw the same impulsive jerk back there."

Tae Kwon Crow didn't reply. He felt like crying, he was so sick with himself. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Buzzer Beak any more than he could bear the thought of being seen as a villain- but maybe he should've just listened to those orders. Then Wildstorm wouldn't hate him as much. Then he might've proved himself.

Wildstorm staggered down, sitting for a moment. "Did you at least save the bird?" he sighed.

Buzzer Beak crawled out of Tae Kwon Crow's shirt, plopping down dizzily. He looked at the two of them, chirping in confusion.

"Good. At least your little endeavor wasn't in vain," Wildstorm continued. "Keep him close to you. Let's not have a repeat of this incident. You will follow my orders to a tee, and nothing other than that. Got it?"

Tae Kwon Crow nodded meekly.

Wildstorm stood up again, stumbling on his wounded leg. "Let's just go home, then," he decided. "I've had enough of rats for today."

Tae Kwon Crow got up, setting Buzzer Beak on his shoulder as they walked. He didn't feel like talking- didn't see any point to it, rather.

* * *

The next day was rather uneventful. Wildstorm didn't order any missions for them to go on, probably because he was being cautious of his mending leg. Tae Kwon Crow had brought food from the kitchen up to his dorm, hoping to spend some time alone. He really had no desire to seek the knight out this time. Heck, after yesterday's fiasco in the Rat Kingdom, who would ever trust him with anything again?

 _Nothing more than an awful pirate, then. I've really dug myself into a pit of un-repentance, haven't I?_

He opened the door to his room, setting the food he'd procured on the small table. Buzzer Beak left from his little bird swing, buzzing over to the table. The little bird squawked in confusion, looking up at the crow.

"A feast fit for a king," Tae Kwon Crow beamed. "A tiny king, but a king nonetheless."

Squawk.

"It's the least I can do after nearly, you know, letting you die. You know I'd never do that on purpose, right?"

Nod.

"Okay. Just making sure."

Buzzer Beak went straight for his feast, gobbling down the bread before anything else. Tae Kwon Crow walked toward his bed, plopping down and staring at the ceiling. He closed his eyes with a sigh, his mind buzzing with a thousand thoughts. He was horrible even to those closest to him.

"...And I thought you were right next to me, even," he muttered. "How did that even happen? Was I not paying attention when you needed me to carry you? So much was happening, and...ah, listen to me blathering on about nothing."

Buzzer Beak stopped eating, whipping his gaze around to him. He flew over, plopping directly on Tae Kwon Crow's stomach. The little bird kept squawking and flapping his stubby wings frantically, trying to alert him to something.

Tae Kwon Crow opened an eye. "What, you found something big down there?" he wondered.

Buzzer Beak nodded in a grin.

"We can't go back there. I could never live down what happened."

Buzzer Beak sighed, deflating as he did so.

Of course, it would be nice to do something for the Imaginators. Give them whatever it was that the little bird had spotted. And if it was something big, then it definitely needed to be on the side of the Skylanders.

Tae Kwon Crow sat up, nuzzling Buzzer Beak's cheek with his finger. "Alright. The two of us will go down there alone," he decided. "We'll be safer that way."

Buzzer Beak chirped in pleasure.

"We need to be smart about this, though. We can't have those rats swarming us again. And I think I might have an idea."

* * *

Tae Kwon Crow had found a rat suit, donning it and sneaking down into the Rat Kingdom. The suit itself was hot and itchy, but the rats seemed to be fooled by it. They treated him as if he were an old friend, allowing him to walk through without a fight. Tae Kwon Crow tried his hardest to act natural, though he couldn't help but worry about then discovering his true nature.

Buzzer Beak remained hidden, safely tucked inside the suit. He'd poke his head out occasionally, pointing out directions to the thing he'd found. Tae Kwon Crow kept the little bird hidden from peering eyes, though any on looking rats didn't seem to care.

 _Maybe I should hide like this more often, even at the Academy. Everyone seems happier to see me that way._

Reaching near the crevice, Buzzer Beak started squawking frantically. He flew out of the suit, flying toward a crack in a wall. Tae Kwon Crow hurried over to him, looking at what he'd seen. Buzzer Beak hovered next to a loose-fitting brick, pressing into it to try and push it away. The crow pushed the block out, creating a hole that led into a treasure room. Gold lined the walls, and Imaginite chests were stacked on top of one another at the center. It was a bigger horde than the Skylanders had found on their journeys through the M.A.P. Heck, it was more than Tae Kwon Crow had ever seen in his life.

"BB, you've got a better nose for treasure than most of my pirate crew had," Tae Kwon Crow chuckled.

Buzzer Beak gave a small chuckle of his own.

Someone set a hand on his shoulder, startling him immensely. Tae Kwon Crow turned around in alarm, and only tensed up when he saw who the person behind him was. A giant filthy brown rat suit stood in front of him, the person's head poking out of the suit's mouth. The animal piece on the head was familiar, its eyes glowing fiercely. Tae Kwon Crow's heart thudded in his chest, and his mouth became dry, worried at what this person would do.

"I saw you sneaking down here earlier in that gaudy thing," Wildstorm growled.

"It's...it's not what it looks like," Tae Kwon Crow muttered.

"Then what is it? Because it looks like a thieving pirate went on a treasure hunt by himself."

 _You're just a pirate. Nothing changing that._ "BB thought he saw something. I was just checking it out."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

No comment.

"King Pen told me this morning that you were one of the new Senseis he brought on board. You should know the rules- non-Core Skylanders are not allowed to go on missions alone, especially new recruits. We have to go in groups of two."

"My group consists of me and Buzzer Beak."

"Except he's more of a companion than a Skylander."

Buzzer Beak scoffed in indignation. Tae Kwon Crow didn't reply.

"Did you find the door to that place by any chance?"

"Still...still working on that," Tae Kwon Crow stammered. "BB, try...try to find us a way in."

Buzzer Beak hovered around, nosing the wall for a way in. He decided to squeeze through the hole, looking about that way. Something moved on the wall next to them, and Buzzer Beak let out a squawk indicating that he'd found it. Tae Kwon Crow pushed his had on the wall, revealing a door that slid away. He and Wildstorm walked into the treasure room, though Wildstorm shut the door behind them. Buzzer Beak landed on the ground, looking quite proud of himself. All Tae Kwon Crow could feel was sick with himself, the treasure room reminding him once again of what an awful person he was.

Wildstorm took off his rat suit, saying, "Why don't you get out of that thing and claim the Imaginite chests? I'll call into the Academy saying that we need to be teleported home. Good thinking on the rat suits, by the way. If the rest of us had thought of that sooner, we wouldn't have had so much trouble with those vermin."

Tae Kwon Crow unzipped his rat suit, dropping it on the ground. He stepped toward the Imaginite chests, a hand raised to claim it. But he stopped before he claimed the chests, his eyes tearing up. It wouldn't work for him, would it? He could gallivant with these greater heroes all he could, but it wouldn't make him one. No matter how many lives he saved, or how many Imaginators he trained, it would never make up for anything he'd done, would it?

"I can't," Tae Kwon Crow muttered.

"Why not?" Wildstorm huffed. "You're a Skylander now, and this was your find. You can claim it."

Tears fell down his face. "Except I'm not a Skylander, am I?" Tae Kwon Crow pouted. "I've done so much to try and prove myself to them, and I don't feel like one of them. Everyone's turning me away, telling me that I'm a monster- civilians and allies alike. I knew the next steps in my life wouldn't be easy, but...I need _something_ , or else...what's the point in trying, right?"

Wildstorm sighed. Tae Kwon Crow looked over to him, noting that the animal piece's eyes were no longer glowing, and instead the knight's eyes were shown inside the piece's maw. Those looked about as forlorn as the crow's eyes currently did.

"I think I know your problem. It was one that I experienced a long time ago," Wildstorm began. "I had been used to loneliness for a long time, and when I joined the Senseis, that feeling didn't go away like I thought it was supposed to. I still felt unwanted, even when it looked like the others genuinely wanted to be with me. I'd often snap at them or try to fight them if they got too close, convinced that no one could really want me around. When concerns of me not fitting in came around, Chain Reaction had a chat with me one day, and insisted that the problem was that I wouldn't allow myself to fit in."

Buzzer Beak set himself on the crow's shoulder, giving out concerned chirps. Tae Kwon Crow pressed the bird to his cheek, letting out a few more pouts.

"And _that's_ your problem, Tae. You don't feel like a Skylander because you're not allowing yourself to. You're so fixated on everything you did wrong, and trying to make up for all of it, that you're not letting yourself focus on the things you're doing right. We can't focus on the past. We can't allow ourselves to convince our hearts that we'll never fit in. We just have to tell ourselves that we're doing good and that we belong here. I don't know if any of that makes sense...I'm not so good at giving advice...but when the pieces came together, that helped me."

Tae Kwon Crow tried wiping his tears away, though a few more fell down.

"You're not bad. You know that? You may be stubborn, but you're not bad. And I really must thank you for imprisoning me back then, strange as it might sound. It led me to my family."

The tears stopped flowing. It sounded like Wildstorm had forgiven him for what happened. Tae Kwon Crow looked at Buzzer Beak, noting how calm and patient he was, how he always seemed to be. Wildstorm and Buzzer Beak... _those_ were the things he'd been looking for to push him onward.

"Those Imaginite chests are your find," Wildstorm insisted. "They're yours to claim."

Tae Kwon Crow nodded. He walked toward the Imaginite chests, taking deep breaths. He raised a hand, prepared to set it on the chests in order to claim them. There was still that uncertainty in the back of his mind. He was still nervous about it not working for him.

 _Take it easy,_ he told himself. _You might not be a proper Skylander, but you're trying. That's all that matters._

Tae Kwon Crow set his hand on the chests. A blue aura circled around them, and in an instant, they teleported away.

"See? There you go," Wildstorm smiled. "Now let's wait around while I call the Academy to pick us up."

Tae Kwon Crow's heart filled with extreme joy, and a wide smile grew on his beak. This was where he was now! He _was_ a Skylander!


	37. Nightfall: Shadow Kraken

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Shadow Kraken

Nightfall carefully stalked the Cyclops Mammoth through the undergrowth, keeping her movements slow and steady. The eye was the prize- her contractor was giving her a large sum of money for it intact. The creature had been bothering people in the nearby village, and Nightfall was aware that it needed to be stopped. But one wrong move in this undergrowth right now would spoil the opportunity for an easy kill, forcing her to fight as the mammoth used its full strength.

Something barreled through the bushes, crashing through the mammoth's side and taking it into the clearing. Nightfall stood up to see what was going on. The mammoth was engaged in a fight with a Warsupial, dodging the large wrecking ball that the mammal wielded. The mammoth barreled into the Warsupial's side, though the Warsupial was quickly back up. He disconnected the ball from the chain, using the chain to grip the mammoth in order to launch it into the spinning ball. He never got the chance, as Nightfall quickly leapt out of her hiding place in order to slay the beast. She knocked the Warsupial out of the way and attached her tentacle hair to the mammoth, inserting toxins into its system until it lay still. Using her hooks, she carefully cut the creature's giant eye from its socket, treating it carefully as her prize.

"Fighting a Cyclops Mammoth is no small task, Warsupial," Nightfall told the mammal. "It's no wonder your species' numbers have declined so much. If your kind was more careful, they wouldn't have to hide."

The Warsupial wiped blood off a cut on his lip, glaring at her with one dead eye. "Nothing I couldn't handle," he insisted. "And I had it in my grasp, if it wasn't for you mucking things up."

"I saved your life. I don't think that's in line with 'mucking things up', the way you said it."

No comment.

"If this was a simple border patrol, I don't understand why you'd go so far out from the desert where your clans live."

"Well, what they don't know can't hurt them, right?"

So he was acting against his clan, then? Nightfall was well aware of how strange Warsupials could be, but she'd never heard of this before.

"Guess you can say I'm monster hunting," the Warsupial continued. "Just looking around, seeing what kind of creatures I can tussle with."

"Have you seen many creatures?" Nightfall asked.

"I keep dozens of souvenirs of my fights in my Thump Truck, not to mention some of the scars I've gotten. Oh, except for my eye- that was a work-related injury."

"Teeth, claws, horns and other things?"

"The likes."

"You should bring your vehicle over to the Guild Hall in this area. The monster hunters will pay big sums for everything you bring in- and if you want a regular job, there are always contractors that will ask for your services."

"Is that what you're doing here?"

She didn't elaborate on that. She merely concluded with, "It's something for you to consider."

With that, Nightfall walked off, turning toward the village in order to seek her reward. The Warsupial wasn't too far away, as heard by the clanking of metal from his wrecking ball whenever he took a step. Her tentacle hair raised in irritation. She couldn't have this pest following her. He'd get in the way of her work. If he was around her for long enough, she thought that she might come to like him- and she couldn't stand disappointing people after that happened.

"You can't follow me," she growled.

"Well gee, friend, I have no idea where this monster hunter 'Guild Hall' is," the Warsupial replied. "Perhaps you could show me."

"And you can leave me afterward."

The Warsupial put his hand out for her to grab. "Smash Hit. Nice to meet you," he added.

"My title is Shadow Kraken," Nightfall spat, refusing to shake his hand. "That is what you'll refer to me as."

* * *

The Guild Hall was always bustling with activity. Monster hunters from all over Skylands came here, talking about hunts and sharing techniques with others of their kind. Stuffed monsters were placed about on pedestals along the walls, tables set near so people on lunch could admire them. Higher up along the walls were cases set with trophies from monsters, such as weird-looking teeth and claws. There was a stage up front, where posters of bothersome monsters were placed so that hunters could select a contract as they pleased. Many coming in here complained about the rotten smell of certain objects brought back that seemed to linger here- since Nightfall had her breathing mask on, she never noticed.

She sat at the bottom of the stage, the mammoth eye set in her lap as she patiently waited for her contractor to come by. It had been an hour since she departed from the little Warsupial, insisting that her business with him had concluded. He'd seemed pleased, walking off without saying anything else of indignation to her. Just as well. Nightfall couldn't have anyone following her around.

A fox woman squeezed her way through the crowds, calling out Nightfall's title. Nightfall waved over to her, and the fox woman scattered over to the stage. Her leafy clothes seemed tattered from the trek there, but she was otherwise happy to see Nightfall there, and even happier to see the mammoth eye.

"So you've slain the Cyclops Mammoth already," the fox woman smiled. "I only gave the contract out a day ago."

"I don't dilly-dally like these other fools," Nightfall explained. "Why do something like that, especially with people's lives on the line?"

The fox handed her a little bag filled with precious jewels in it. "They're the best I could find," she promised her. "Thank you, Shadow Kraken."

A sudden blaring horn was heard outside, and the crowds headed outside to see what it was. Nightfall followed them a little ways, stopping at the front door. Feelings of anger and irritation were stirring in her gut, and she could only think of who had fired that horn.

 _I should just stay right here, and not face whatever lunacy awaits me out there._

But her legs still carried her outside, and she came upon an impressive sight. A huge orange truck sat outside the Guild Hall, its gray wheels almost making up half the vehicle. Something like dirt churned in the front end, and blue flames were broiling in the back. The Warsupial poked his head out, grinning. He dropped a metal box out of the seat before hopping out himself.

"Where's the guildmaster?" Smash Hit asked.

A Kangarat with a long beard and dundee hat waved over to him. Smash Hit picked up the metal box, scurrying over to him and opening the box.

"This is where I keep the trophies from my hunts," the Warsupial explained. "Anything suit your fancy?"

The Kangarat took the box from him, shifting through its contents, eyes widened. Nightfall looked at him in curiosity, curious as to what was in there.

"There's...there's so much," the Kangarat gasped in awe. "I'd like to take the whole thing from you, and I'll pay you for everything here."

"Could I keep the box, though? It's very important to me."

"Of course. Come inside, and I'll sort out the reward for you."

Nightfall watched as the Warsupial followed the Kangarat into the Guild Hall. Smash Hit noticed her, giving her a cheeky grin, and she spotted an eyepatch over his bad eye this time. She walked back inside, heading over to a table. The Warsupial sat at a table close to her, drumming his hands on the surface eagerly. The Kangarat came over to him, carrying both the metal box and a large sack, setting both in front of him. Nightfall's eyes widened at the sack, noticing that it had tipped over and was leaking various gems. Had the rodent's offer been worth _that_ much?!

Smash Hit looked at the bag as well, fiddling with a few of the gems. "I could buy a new mod piece with this," he gasped.

"We'll pay for every piece you get, and depending on who you ask around here, your reward will vary in value," the Kangarat explained. "For specific rewards, you can look at the contracts on the board over there and see what job fits you best."

Smash Hit ran over to the stage, looking at the posters on the board. He pulled one down, the poster detailing a pack of Slobbering Mutticus in the nearby quarry. He held it up eagerly, defining it as his pick.

"Erm, packs of monsters require two people to handle. No exceptions," the Kangarat explained. "If you don't mind sharing the bounty, you can go ahead with that one."

Smash Hit scurried to Nightfall's table, trying to get her attention. Nightfall hid her face away with her tentacle hair, not wanting to talk to him. The Warsupial parted her hair, grinning that stupid grin at her.

"So how 'bout it?" he asked her. "Want to hunt some Mutticus with me?"

"It's a task too big for a rookie such as yourself," Nightfall groaned. "Go ask someone else to kill you."

"Pretty please!? I won't ask anything else of you after that, I promise!"

She wasn't going to be rid of him anytime soon, was she? "Fine. We can go together," she decided. "Let me see that poster."

The Warsupial handed it to her. Nightfall looked it over carefully, studying what the poster said. "We need to collect the tongues as proof of our hunt," she said. "You will do as I say, and go when I go. Got it?"

"Got it."

* * *

Though the quarry was nearby, it took them a few days to get there. Nightfall had Smash Hit ride in her Sea Shadow beside her, for it was much quieter and less likely to attract unwanted attention than the "Thump Truck" was. The Warsupial was quite the chatterbox, moving on from one topic to the next, not caring if the Dreadwalker was paying attention. There was something nice about the way he got excited about things, as if the mere thought of doing anything filled him with passion. Nightfall was beginning to grow fond of him- and she hated herself for that.

"Whoa, this vehicle is pretty fast," Smash Hit beamed. "Is there a Rift Engine installed in it?"

"Yes. I found it near Leviathan Lagoon," Nightfall replied. "How did you guess?"

"I have one, too. It's in my Thump Truck. Oh, you should see the way she moves. You can run over anything with it- plants, trees, pesky monsters, the works. I found it out on a job, clearing out some old Arkeyan junk. You know how smart and sneaky those guys were, right? They were practically mining for everything with power, and they-"

Rocks came around the Sea Shadow, and Nightfall halted the vehicle. She stepped out, noting how the trees and vegetation were thinning out around the area. They had made it. Nightfall motioned for Smash Hit to climb out, and she started onward once he was following her. The midday sun created lots of shadows for protection, but they wouldn't find many in the quarry.

"Best to keep on your toes and stay silent," Nightfall whispered. "So detatch that ball from your chain- it makes too much noise."

"How will I hope to injure them?" Smash Hit asked.

"I'll tell you how. Just do as I say."

Smash Hit sighed, detaching the ball from his chain.

"Now you need to avoid the puddles of mucus they produce, because those are highly acidic. They'll also charge at you as well, so you need to be quick. Tire them out, and you can take them down with anything in your arsenal."

Smash Hit ran over to a railing set up near the brown stones, letting out a gasp. "Is that a method for open spaces?" he muttered.

"Of course. You should never get cornered by them," Nightfall insisted, walking next to him. Her eyes widened, and her heart dropped to her chest at the sight of their discovery.

Within the quarry's gorge, a whole mass of Mutticus resided within there. Some were resting, others were spitting up mucus, and a few were pacing around the gorge entrances. There were probably thirty of them down there, more than Nightfall had ever seen in her life.

"Oh my," she muttered. "It would take a whole team of monster hunters to eliminate them."

"Can't you contact any of them?" Smash Hit questioned her.

"I hunt alone. I never saw any point in getting anyone's contact information."

"Aw, we're screwed, we're screwed."

"We're not screwed. We just have to be smart about this. What kind of battle tactics does your kind have?"

"We usually just charge in, throwing bodies at the enemy."

Nightfall rolled her eyes. "Of course you do. I should've known better than to ask- you're part of an endangered species."

"Sometimes we'll draw enemies out so the rest of the battalions can attack. Do you think that could work?"

"It's risky. Mutticus are dangerous in groups."

"Well what does your kind do in battle?"

She suddenly remembered the Leviathan attack on her old home. "My kind have never been to war."

"Oh."

"Let's draw them out."

"Really?"

"You go down them and lure them from the gorge. I'll be up here, ready to fight."

Smash Hit nodded, departing from the railing and running down toward the gorge. Nightfall kept her eyes on the Mutticus pack, awaiting the moment when they started running out. A chorus of strange animal calls came forth, likely from the Warsupial himself. This started up the Mutticus pack, and they charged out of the gorge in single file, racing after Smash Hit.

Nightfall vaulted over the railing, stretching out her tentacle hair to a lagging Mutticus. She was pulled straight to it, tackling it to the ground and poisoning it. She transformed into shadows, hiding beneath the shadows of the Mutticus pack. Nightfall reconfigured herself to her normal form, grabbing a bunch of the monsters with her tentacle hair and slashing at their throats with her hooks. She stood on top of one of them, her arms sticky with their blood, as she looked out for the Warsupial. The rest of the Mutticus pack was after him, though Smash Hit had somehow reattached the ball to his chain and was whipping that around that way. He swerved past they attacks as he lent out his own, keeping one step ahead of them.

Nightfall knew that he was handling himself out there. But fear kicked in, worried that he was going to get hurt. She chased after them, tentacles flared out. She wrapped them around the waists of the Mutticus, trying to hold them back. But Smash Hit threw his wrecking ball at all of the monsters, swiping them away, accidentally taking Nightfall with them. Her tentacle hair released the Mutticus as her side scraped on the hard ground beneath her and dust stung her eyes. The monsters writhed on the ground in pain, and Nightfall staggered to her feet. She looked at Smash Hit, seeing him shake terribly as one hand covered his mouth in shock. His good green eye looked up at her in fear and guilt.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the Warsupial stammered. "I didn't notice you, honest."

Her sleeve had been scraped up, though her skin hadn't broken. And the pain slowly ebbed away as well. Nightfall nodded at him, and walked toward the injured Mutticus, poisoning them with her tentacles. "I think that's the last of them," she simply stated. "Help me cut their tongues out."

* * *

They set up a camp in the woods that night as they began the return trip to the Guild Hall. Smash Hit had been quiet for the rest of the day, simply staring down at the ground in front of him. It made Nightfall uncomfortable. She'd gotten used to his constant chatter, and hated the fact that it had been silenced. Of course, she knew it was her fault. She'd gotten caught in the Warsupial's line of fire, and he was now blaming himself for hurting her.

She couldn't help but feel that she'd disappointed him, and that was a feeling she always hated. Perhaps it was the best, though. Maybe after this, the Warsupial wouldn't be so inclined to follow her around. Nightfall thought she would miss it, but things had to be better that way.

She returned to their little fire, carrying some sticks to keep it going. Smash Hit sat on one of the Sea Shadow's wings, legs crossed. He'd pulled the eyepatch down and covered his good eye with a hand, moving a finger over his bad one. The Warsupial sighed, setting his hands in his lap morosely. Nightfall opened up the trunk of her vehicle, grabbing out two cans and holding them toward him eagerly.

"I've got beans," she announced. "Beans are always good to have. Want me to cook some up for you?"

"Not right now," Smash Hit muttered.

Nightfall hoisted herself up next to him, opening one can and setting the other down next to her. She adjusted her breathing mask, using her tentacles to hold it up to her nose as she ate while still allowing pure Dreadwalker air to reach her. She gave another look to Smash Hit, who was now staring blankly at the flickering fire.

"Time to be honest," Nightfall decided. "I hunt alone because I get worried about others near me. I feel responsible for their well-being, and I forget to let them worry about themselves. So...what happened back there was not your fault. I just wanted to let you know that."

"You don't trust my abilities," Smash Hit replied silently.

"I don't trust anyone's abilities. That's what I just got done saying."

"It means the same thing. No, it's alright. I don't trust my abilities right now, either. Haven't in a few weeks, actually. I don't think I'm what I used to be."

Nightfall finished off her can, readjusting the breathing mask onto her face. "Is this about your eye?"

"Maybe if I'd had my full sight, I could've avoided hitting you entirely."

"Smash, I'm fine. I am not dead or dying, and you were a big help in getting rid of that Mutticus pack. I would've been no match for them on my own."

Smash Hit took his orange helmet off, setting it on his lap. He crossed his arms over the item and pressed his forehead into them. "Time for me to be honest as well," he began. "We don't actually lure our enemies out. None of us are smart enough to come up with other battle tactics that don't involve charging our enemies. That idea was just something I came up with on the fly- and it was a stupid one as well. We never should've done it."

"But it worked, and we're okay. Just-"

Smash lifted his head up, eyes watery. "And I'm not here because I'm monster hunting. Listen, those Rift Engines are dangerous in the wrong hands. When I found mine and bonded with it, some kind of energy surged out and turned on the other machines in the area, and a piece of shrapnel hit me in the face. The medics in my clan said I could never see out of this eye again, and my abilities were taken into question. I kept getting taken off of jobs, people kept doing chores for me when I didn't ask- they were basically _coddling_ me. I started thinking that I was useless without my full abilities, and I didn't know what I was supposed to do to adjust. So bottom line...I ran away from home. I don't know if I'll go back- I don't think I can stand to do so."

Nightfall understood that feeling. She'd been feeling pretty useless for a long time. No matter how many monsters she'd slain, or how many people she'd saved, she couldn't get over her failure at Fogshadow Tower.

"I ran away from home, too," Nightfall told him. "I haven't spoken to my people in months. Not since I failed them."

"What happened?"

"I was scouting the depths around our home, looking for monsters to wipe out before they could harm anyone. I found a giant egg at the bottom of the sea, and it hatched into this horrible monster. I tried shooting at it, but the pulse beams just bounced off its scales. I hurried back home to warn everyone, to tell them to evacuate. Most got out before that thing attacked us. Everything was destroyed. There was nothing I could do. But everyone seemed rather upset at what had happened. I was sure they'd blame me for it, so I made sure that I left before anyone noticed me. So...what happened back there was not your fault. It was my misunderstanding of the situation that got myself hurt."

She suddenly felt the Warsupial throw himself around her, pouting silently. He was gripping her rather tightly, and she was unsure of how to react to this action.

"Smash Hit, I'm not...really a hugger," Nightfall insisted.

"Too bad, cuz I am," Smash Hit argued.

Nightfall let out a sigh, setting an arm over him. She suddenly found that her eyes were getting misty. The two of them were on their own out here, far from their respective clans, unsure if they could ever return. They might have to stay together for companionship. Nightfall was unsure if she was willing to keep a second person safe all the time. But was that...what companionship was about? Was she supposed to be brave about it?

Did it have to sound like the resounding answer was 'yes'?

* * *

They made their way back to the Guild Hall, having been rewarded for the Mutticus tongues. Nightfall was outside, tuning the weapons on the Sea Shadow, and she couldn't help but notice the Warsupial next to his vehicle. He had the metal box in his arms, sorting out a few gems that he insisted he liked the most. He seemed to be getting ready to leave as much as she was.

"Hey, Smash Hit," Nightfall called to him.

Smash Hit looked up. "Yeah?"

"If you want to keep travelling with me...that's okay."

"I thought you wanted me gone."

"I've changed my mind."

Smash Hit got up, crawling into the seat of the Thump Truck. "I'll warn you. I crash into every place with the subtlety of a bulldozer," he began.

"That's fine."

"I'll talk your ear off."

"I like listening to your stories."

"I might interfere with your work."

"Maybe you'll interfere in the best ways."

Smash Hit grinned again. "I don't seem so useless, huh?" he muttered. "Anyway, where are we going, Sha-"

"Call me Nightfall," she replied. "That is my name. If we're going to be travelling together, you should know my actual name."


	38. Wildstorm: Memory Box

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Memory Box

Wildstorm studied the Skystones set in front of him, thinking deeply about his next move. The game was 3:4 in Boom Bloom's favor, and with one spot left on the board, the next move meant victory or failure. He had a tile with four ridges on the right side, which could take her center stone which had only two ridges on the left. But he also had a tile with three on the right and two on top, which could take that piece as well as the one in the top left corner with only one ridge on the bottom, assuring him an ultimate victory. He glanced at Boom Bloom's face before making his decision, noting how nervous she looked. She always got worked up over Skystone games, he noted.

How bad would it hurt a child if you won a game like this?

Wildstorm set down a tile with only two ridges on the right side, ensuring that Boom Bloom won.

The plant girl giggled for a moment, but that quickly went away when she glanced at his face. She launched out of her chair in outrage, slamming a fist on the table.

"You cheated!" she yelled.

"Excuse me?" Wildstorm asked. "I didn't cheat."

"Sure you did! I know you let me win! That's cheating!"

"I did not cheat! And I would certainly not let a little girl get the best of me!"

Starcast walked into the Dojo's kitchen where the two of them were playing, raising an eyebrow at their argument. He crossed his lower set of arms and gave a chuckle. "What do we have here?" he asked.

"Wildstorm cheated!" Boom Bloom shouted. "He let me win!"

"I did no such thing!" Wildstorm yelled. "Now why don't you convince her of that!?"

Starcast clicked his tongue. "I don't know, Wildstorm. I don't take Bloom to be a liar," he insisted jokingly. "If she says you cheated, then you cheated."

Wildstorm huffed. That creature was always taking her side.

"Buckshot said he found something in the yard," Starcast added. "He and the others are in the living room. I think we should see what he found."

Starcast walked out of the kitchen, making his way back to the living room. Boom Bloom set the Skystones board and tiles back into a box she'd had them in, glaring at Wildstorm. "We're going to play again tomorrow," she growled. "And you're going to play fair and square."

Wildstorm watched as she took the box and hurried after Starcast. She liked the air knight...he guessed. Well, she was always asking if she could hang out with him, but she was always yelling about something he was doing. It took all of his energy not to blow his top around her- and blowing his top was a bad habit he was trying to get over.

He got up from his chair and followed them into the living room. Most of the other Senseis were already in their, seated on pillows, chairs or the couch. Buckshot was at the center of the room, Aurora sitting near him. The Sky-Faun hid something under a white tarp, grinning from ear to ear.

"What is it, Buckshot?" Starcast asked him.

"Just something really cool," Buckshot insisted. "Rory and I found it in the woods while racing each other through the M.A.P. It had some interesting carvings in it, and we thought you might recognize it."

"So...show it to us already."

Buckshot pulled the tarp off in a very overdramatic fashion. The item was revealed to be a very old box, sealed tightly with a latch on the front. Soiled lilac paint was chipping away on the sides, though large scratches of strange drawings remained on it. The wood seemed very old and damp, perhaps true food for worms. Some of the veteran Senseis visibly widened their eyes in surprise and glee, and Wildstorm didn't understand why. It was just some old box, and he was sure that there were plenty of others just like it.

"So ladies and gents, does it look familiar to you?" Aurora mused.

"No way," King Pen gasped. "Our old memory box. I'd nearly forgotten about it! Chain, do you remember getting that?"

"I remember everything, youngster," Chain Reaction smiled. "Let's see if our things are still in it."

A crowd gathered around the box as it opened, and Wildstorm peeked above them to try and see what was going on. He noticed that they were getting out strange tchotchkes from the box, some of which were so old and damp he couldn't tell what they were initially supposed to be. But that didn't seem to matter. Soom everyone was chatting about the items.

"Oh, look at this! My old doll!" Aurora noted, holding onto said doll. The item itself could still be recognized as a doll, though the fabric of the yellow dress was a bit tattered and brown.

"When did you get time to put that in there?" Buckshot asked her.

"I had Chain Reaction take it with him when I was ten. I thought she could be part of their memories even if I couldn't."

"Well you're a part of that now, right?"

"Yeah, so that worked out perfectly!"

It continued on like this. King Pen found items that he said were old war medals, gawking at them with Chain Reaction. Ambush had brought Boom Bloom over to look at shells he'd put in there. Ember and Pit Boss were smirking over some moldy books that they insisted they'd enjoyed when they were younger. It became clear to Wildstorm that these items held strong significance to all of them.

"If these items are important to you, why would you put them in a box and throw it away?" Wildstorm asked.

"No, they didn't throw it away. They kept them safe for later," Starcast explained. "It's like a time capsule, I think. You hide stuff away for a certain time, and then when that time comes, you dig it back up and reminisce on old memories."

And to share those memories with the people they cared about? Wildstorm watched everyone gather around the box, listening to them gab about, and feeling a void grow in his stomach. None of the items in the box meant anything to him, not even to listen to someone talk about them. He felt himself float away from them, though he knew he wasn't moving in the slightest. The longer he watched this activity go on, the larger those feelings grew.

 _I'm not one of them._

"Hey Wildstorm, are you alright?" Starcast asked him.

"...Sure...Sure, I just...," Wildstorm stammered. "I don't think I'm feeling all that well."

"You're not getting sick, are you? I mean, you were fine this morning, but-"

"Sickness comes on unexpectedly, Starcast. I'll be fine, though."

Starcast gave a curt, unsure nod, looking back at the others.

Wildstorm excused himself from the living room, turning into the kitchen and making a left down a staircase toward the basement. He went down, looking for the spare room there which had been designated as his. (Since the others insisted that he didn't have to sleep on the floor like he'd been insistent on doing.) He felt incredibly lonely, and incredibly angry as well. A scream sounded from upstairs, followed by more laughter, making him feel even worse.

"Maybe I'll make my _own_ memory box!" he grumbled to himself. "Let them see how great _my_ memories are!"

Oh, they'd probably think they were wonderful. Though he had to admit that he didn't have a bunch of good memories to share with them.

He found the spare room, walking toward the bed and flopping onto it. The room was empty save for the bed and a nightstand with a clock on it- those were the only things he needed. Wildstorm pulled his Air Blade from his back, looking at his reflection in the blade. Most of his memories were shared with that ancient weapon, and not only did he need it to fight, but it would also not fit in any kind of memory box.

Of course, the memory box wasn't the issue at all. It was this idea that came with him through every place he visited, every person he met, every job he'd taken up.

 _Who would ever want me around?_ he asked himself.

* * *

 _The tavern was loud and noisy, as most taverns were. Wildstorm sat near a wall with a mounted deer head on it, having a meal of his own. He had very little money left after his last mission, and he found it necessary to eat something before he lost the opportunity to eat again. Putting himself into society seemed harder than living in the woods. He might be a difficult person, but he always seemed to deal with difficult people._

 _A short, angry person in a dark robe ran into the tavern, yelling at people to get out of his way. A tall slender troll walked behind him, constantly apologizing for the inconvenience. Wildstorm let out a chuckle, finding the event new and interesting. It wasn't every day that he found someone so small try and take such a big bite out of society. In a minute, the short person found where the knight was sitting and ran up to him, scrambling onto a chair in order to make himself taller. Oh, interesting still. This person was coming up to see him._

 _"Glumshanks, push me closer!" the short person yelled._

 _"Yes, Lord Kaos," the troll muttered nervously, pushing the chair closer to Wildstorm's table._

 _"Excellent."_

 _Wildstorm took a drink from his mug. "Ah, so_ you're _Kaos," he mused. "I've heard how terrifying you were. But I always thought you'd be taller."_

 _"I get that a lot. Believe me, I do," the short person, Kaos, insisted. "And you must be Wildstorm, one of the most feared mercenaries in all of Skylands. What horrible deeds you have committed! Simply delicious."_

 _"I simply follow the money trail. Don't we all?"_

 _The troll, Glumshanks, twiddled his thumbs. "Not all of us, I don't think," he insisted. "Not those Sky-"_

 _"Not important!" Kaos yelled. "Wildstorm, I request your help."_

 _He had the audacity to ask a feared mercenary for help? To_ ask, _and not offer any incentive to do so? Not even to threaten him into doing it? Where were his mighty legions of trolls and Drow? Where was his massive store of magical power? "Someone has a fundamental misunderstanding of how soldiers of fortune operate," Wildstorm replied._

 _"Oh no, I do. Name your price. Anything you wish, and I shall give it to you. Only the best offer for someone of your talents."_

 _More interesting still. He was being allowed to name his price. "Do you have a small fortune?" he asked. "It could set me up for years."_

 _"Um, Lord Kaos,_ do _we have a small fortune?" Glumshanks asked. "If so, where would it be, because running the troll army has been a bit expensive-"_

 _Kaos pinched the troll's mouth shut. "Of course we have a small fortune, Glumshanks, don't be ridiculous!" he yelled. "But...erm, Wildstorm, is that_ really _what you want? We might all follow the money trail, but there are much more precious things than that. Maybe world domination, maybe a lifetime supply of shrimp, maybe a position of power that no one can take away from you. Complete your job for me, and I will most assuredly give it to you. C'mon, name your price."_

 _Wildstorm lost his aloof behavior, becoming a bit more melancholy. He hadn't thought about what he really wanted in a long time, having become convinced that he would never get it. "What I want can't be given to me," he replied._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"A family."_

 _"Oh...like the little pitter-patter of tiny Wildstorm feet?"_

 _"No. Well, not yet, but...I don't know how to explain it. Just people that care for me, that want me around. A family. You can't get that for me, can you?"_

 _Kaos tapped a finger on his chin. "Well, I've gotta say, from my experience, a family is over-rated," he thought. "But if it's_ really _what you want, I'll give you a family."_

 _Wildstorm set his mug down, about to make what he hadn't expected to be the worst decision of his life. "What do you need me to do?" he asked._

* * *

He knew that he hadn't been morally upstanding in the past, taking jobs as long as they paid and not worrying who got hurt. He admitted to that, and the Skylanders seemed accepting of that fact. But no one seemed to want him around, whether or not they knew about him. And whenever it seemed like they did, Wildstorm found himself left behind again.

The next morning, he started work on his memory box, deciding that it was the perfect way to get back at the Senseis. Wildstorm found a metal box in the basement, using it to hold the items he was going to put inside. He could draw on it if he wanted, or put ridiculous paint on it- anything could go, because it was his. He searched the spare room for items that held value to him, quickly realizing that the room was empty of anything like that.

Well, there was a basket hidden underneath the bed, a white cloth inside it. It had come from an outing with Chain Reaction...but Wildstorm wasn't sure if he was willing to hide it away for a long time in a place he might forget about it. The basket was too large for the box, so he could break off the handle...but that would ruin the basket. And the cloth still smelled like brownies, which was nice, and would most certainly get soiled in an old box. Wildstorm grabbed the cloth, pocketing it so he could decide later.

"Oh Wildstorm!" Boom Bloom's voice called down. "Come up and play!"

"I haven't even eaten, yet," Wildstorm shouted.

"Play now, eat later!"

He was sure that she wouldn't give up until they played- what a stubborn little girl. Wildstorm left the basement, walking up the stairs into the kitchen. Boom Bloom was eagerly sitting at the table, the Skystones game already set up. She drummed her fingers on the edge of the table impatiently, and it didn't stop until he took a seat opposite hers.

"So last night must've been interesting for you, huh?" Wildstorm asked her.

"Yeah. Ambush showed me some shells he collected from a mermaid lagoon," Boom Bloom explained, setting down a tile into the center space. "He's been all over the place, you know."

Darn, her tile had three ridges on all sides. Wildstorm looked through his stack, searching for a good one to put down. "He hasn't been everywhere, I'm sure," he muttered. "Has he ever talked about Skyhighlands?"

"Well, no. Ambush insisted that it was next to impossible to get up there."

"Not unless you have the right resources."- Wildstorm set down a tile with four ridges on the left onto the middle-right space- "I've been up there. I managed to make my way there on a strong breeze."

Boom Bloom frowned, setting a tile with two ridges below the one he'd set down, which had only one ridge on the bottom. "A breeze couldn't carry _you._ You're too fat."

"It was a particularly strong breeze."

"I dunno, Wildstorm. It would have to be _preety_ strong."

He picked up a Skystone, studying it for a moment as an idea came to mind. He played this game constantly, so it meant something to him. Maybe a Skystone tile would be appropriate for his memory box.

"So what did you find up there?" Boom Bloom asked.

"In Skyhighlands?"

"No, in space- of course I mean Skyhighlands."

Thoughts of Skyhighlands came to mind as well. That was where Kaos had sent him, telling him to steal a gold detector. He'd never let Wildstorm on to his true intentions, and Wildstorm hadn't discovered those intentions until it was too late.

"Hello? You didn't answer my question," Boom Bloom said, motioning her hand over his face.

"Right! Right!" he stammered, setting the tile down in front of him. "Um...geodes. Lots and...lots of floating geodes. I think they might've come from space...or something."

"Were they open geodes? Because closed geodes are kind of boring."

"Most of them were."

"What color?"

"Purple, or magenta."

"What's the difference between those colors?"

"One of them is darker than the other. Don't plant people know more about color?"

Boom Bloom leaned back, thinking. "Well, that depends on how colorful we are," she mused. "I only have the little bit of red on my bulbs, and the rest of me is green. I'm more familiar with greens. Pea green, jade green...hey, what are you doing?"

She'd noticed Wildstorm trying to slide the tile away. He felt his heart speed up, though why, he wasn't sure. "I was trying to save it for later," he explained. "As a memento."

Boom Bloom narrowed her gaze. "No, I see what it is," she insisted. "You're trying to cheat again. But instead of making sure I win, you're trying to make sure I lose. That's even worse, you know. Make me go on a green tangent to distract me, why don't you?"

"I wasn't even going to play it! And I'd never cheat, whether to win or lose! And I especially wouldn't ensure that a child got the best of me!"

Boom Bloom pulled her whip out, cracking it on the kitchen tiles. "Oh, you want to see a child get the best of you?" she growled. "Well let's have it!"

Wildstorm launched out of his seat, brandishing his Air Blade. "Right! But outside! We're not allowed to fight in the Dojo!" he yelled.

"Yes! Especially after last month's event!"

They rushed out of the kitchen, making a beeline for the patio. Wildstorm reached it first, opening the door, but Boom Bloom squeezed past him. He threw the door open wider and hurried after her. She planted a vine trap on the ground, but he swiftly dodged this with ease. He sliced at the ground, summoning lighting and sending it her way, but she dodged this as well. Boom Bloom threw her whip on the blade, trying to pull it away from him. Wildstorm quickly moved his sword upward, pulling her toward him. He grabbed her underneath his arm, holding her in a tight grasp, before dropping his sword and grinding his knuckles into her skull.

"Aarrh! Cut it out! Cut it out!" Boom Bloom whined.

"Promise you won't accuse me of cheating anymore!" Wildstorm chuckled.

"Alright! I promise! Just let me go!"

"I don't know. Your words sounded very snippy."

"Well it's hard to sound less snippy when you're noogying me!"

Wildstorm looked up, noticing Starcast and Buckshot paused in their early morning sparring session as they looked at them. The air knight dropped Boom Bloom, who crawled over to Starcast in a huff.

"I'm guessing your game didn't go well?" Starcast asked her.

"He keeps cheating," Boom Bloom argued. "I caught him sliding a tile away."

"It wasn't for the game," Wildstorm insisted, arms crossed. "It was for a memento, but she wouldn't listen to me about it."

"Memento?" Buckshot mused. "Oh, did last night's discovery of the memory box spur something inside you?"

Wildstorm glanced at their curious faces. Boom Bloom's expression had even softened. Boy, wouldn't _they_ like to know what he wanted the Skystone for? Well, he certainly wasn't going to let them in on his secret. And then he'd tell them, and laugh as he told their disappointed faces that they couldn't contribute to his memory box. Let them feel left out the way _he_ always felt left out.

"No. It was just something from the moment," Wildstorm lied. "Not a big deal."

"Aw, does Mr. Grumps need a hug?" Buckshot grinned.

"No, I do not. And I don't appreciate the nickname."

The Sky-Faun leapt forward and gave him a hug nonetheless. Wildstorm sighed through his nose, but he didn't push him away- no one had hugged the air knight in his youth, so while he didn't let on, any kind of physical contact like this was well appreciated. Buckshot released him in another moment, quickly teleporting into the Dojo. Wildstorm looked at Starcast, noticing a worried expression in his eyes as he held Boom Bloom's hand.

"What?" Wildstorm asked him.

"You can't hide it from me," Starcast explained. "I know you felt awkward last night. I felt it too, as I'm rather new to this team myself. I wasn't really sure who I was supposed to talk with, seeing that I had no memories with them."

"You've got memories with me," Boom Bloom told him. "You could've talked to me."

Starcast shrugged. "It feels different, I guess."

Wildstorm's arms left their fold. "Well I'm okay, Starcast," he huffed. "I don't need silly memories to make me feel good about myself."

"But memories make for such good stories," Boom Bloom insisted. "Hey, tell Starcast about how you traveled to Skyhighlands."

Oh, so she did care about that? "Nothing interesting really happened," Wildstorm continued. "I had been contracted to steal something up there. That's all."

"Was there anyone you had to fight with up there?"

The pirates came to mind again. It hadn't been much of a fight to take him down- at first. Wildstorm walked back into the Dojo, simply stating, "We're done here."

* * *

 _He'd lost any hope of finding a family after the events in Skyhighlands. Most nights, hope was the only thing keeping him from giving up. Through his injuries and his bouts of hunger and his illnesses, all of which he had to take care of on his own, he always hoped that he might not have to be alone one day. Kaos and those pirates killed it for him. They had convinced Wildstorm that his hopes had been naive._

 _Wildstorm had arrived in Skyhighlands on a gust of wind, sneaking onto the pirate fortress in order to steal their gold detector. There was a camera set up on the front of his armor, placed there by Kaos who "wanted to record what Skyhighlands looked like." It seemed odd for sure- but Wildstorm had never asked questions in the past. He had carefully made his way around the fortress, confused by the lack of opposition in his mission._

 _It had been a ruse. The crow pirates had hidden themselves away, having immediately seen Wildstorm arrive onto their fortress. As soon as he was in an area with no good escape roots for him, they ambushed him, trapping him in a corner. He fought with all his strength to get away, eventually making an opening from the crowd for him to escape, but a chain was quickly set on his foot. Wildstorm tugged on it, a magic from the charm hindering his ability to breathe. He crumpled to the ground, feeling his throat swell up, and his pulse quickened in fear. The feeling didn't go away until one of the pirates loosened the slack on the chain._

 _"Careful not to move so much, buddy," one pirate smirked. "Them curses be rough."_

 _A crow in red clothing stepped up in front of him. Scars from past battles decorated his beak, which might make him more imposing if not for the annoying bird copter that hovered near him. Wildstorm might have scoffed at the bird, but the way he presented himself as the leader insisted that he had orchestrated this trap- and was thusly not to be scoffed at so carelessly. The crow used his katana to pull the camera off of him. He held the blade at Wildstorm's face, warning him not to move._

 _"Who dares disturb the Great Hawkmongous and his evil band of pirates?" he asked. "Seriously? Who are you?"_

 _"If you knew, you'd be shaking in fear," Wildstorm growled menacingly._

 _"Really? Because it was really rather easy to pin you down like this. Shame, really. We thought it would be more fun. What's with the camera, though? Not a tourist, I don't think- that much I'm sure."_

 _Hawkmongous tried crushing the camera beneath his foot, trying to be just as menacing. However, because he didn't possess footwear of any kind, the sharp metal pierced his foot, and he dropped the katana and hopped in pain. Two pirates came over to assist him, helping him steady himself. "Take him to the highest cell!" Hawkmongous ordered the others. "Make sure he's alone until we decide what to do with him. He seems destined for solitude."_

 _And so that's what happened. Wildstorm was sealed away in a cramped cell, hidden in the highest tower, held by several charmed chains to ensure that he didn't escape. He was there for several days, feeling the winds blow through. He stewed in his anguish and fury, thinking of the events that had happened._

 _"You're destined to be alone." That seemed true. It_ was _true, and there was nothing he could possibly do to change that._

 _Kaos had set him up, instead wanting to see how powerful these pirates really were. What purpose he needed that information for was uncertain- but he didn't care._

 _Wildstorm had been fooled many times into thinking people genuinely wanted him around, and that they would be honest in what they told him. Now, he'd been played for a fool once too many. He would_ never _allow that to happen ever again._

 _The winds blowing through his cell eventually gave him strength, and soon, even the cursed chains couldn't hold him back. He broke out, making his silent escape one night. Wildstorm had only one goal in mind now- to get back at Kaos, no matter the cost. He wouldn't let that diminutive creature toy with anyone else. And he himself wouldn't be manipulated ever again._

 _Not even by Eon, though the old Portal Master insisted that he wasn't trying to pull one over on him._

 _They met one day on a small island that only held a small forest, and not a forest that could hold an incredibly large amount of life on it. Wildstorm was training on a dead tree, his mind buzzing with fury over what had been done to him. He swung his sword at the dead tree, cutting further and further down until it fell over. Wildstorm stuck his sword into the ground and leaned on it, pausing for a moment to catch his breath. His body ached terribly, having been at this for a while, though he would soon begin again. From the corner of his eye, he could see someone watching him, though not too well as the trees obscured the figure a bit._

 _"Cowardly assassin, why don't you come out and face me like a man?" Wildstorm grumbled._

 _The figure stepped out, revealed to be an elderly man in a long blue robe. He stroked his white beard thoughtfully, his eyes showing great nervousness. Wildstorm had heard many tales about this man, and knew right away that it was Portal Master Eon, leader of the Skylanders._

 _"What do you want?" Wildstorm asked in a huff._

 _"Just to talk, nothing more," Eon insisted. "You're Wildstorm, right?"_

 _He pulled the blade out of the ground, setting it on his back before leaning against a tree. "Let's cut to the chase- what do you need and how much are you willing to pay for it?"_

 _"I was looking for teachers, and I heard that you were a terrifyingly strong force to be reckoned with," Eon explained. "Who taught you everything you know?"_

 _Wildstorm was insulted by this. He only wanted him to ask where he got his technique, and nothing more? How could he just let him leave like that? "Why don't you go and search for him?" he spat._

 _"It was only a question," Eon insisted._

 _"I taught myself, if you must know. Now you can just-"_

 _"Your style is unique?"_

 _He found himself getting angrier, wanting nothing more than to be done with this old man. Any minute now, he might lose his temper- and he'd been kicked out of several establishments for doing that, not to mention that it was bad for business. "What have you heard about me?"_

 _"I've heard you are a soldier of fortune, who takes up the biggest jobs no matter what they are. You've robbed rich people of their wealth, set fire to rivals' homes...killed...some."_

 _This Portal Master was afraid of him. He'd always assumed that Portal Masters feared nothing. How quaint._

 _"And all for money," Eon noted._

 _"The only other option was to starve to death," Wildstorm insisted. "And what I do is not important- I am the sword, not the swordsman, in this case. What are you talking with me for, anyway? If you want a teacher, why don't you go look for some all-knowing all-seeing saint for your maggot pupils? Someone perfect for the job?"_

 _Eon cleared his throat, straightening his stance. "Because the world isn't made up of perfect people. It is made up of broken people. Some more broken than others. Some too broken to even realize this. When people want to feel better about themselves, they'll sometimes hurt others, thinking that this will achieve their goals. They bring themselves into a dark place this way. But many of my Skylanders were taken out of dark places as well, having found a place with people that can help put the pieces together."_

 _Wildstorm stood up, pulling his blade out. "No such place exists!" he yelled. "And I don't stand liars selling false promises!"_

 _Eon kept his ground, as terrified as he was. "I don't think you know how broken you are. And the minute you figure that out, you can help students understand their brokenness and learn to connect the pieces with others, in order not to be alone. What is it that you want most, so that I may give that to you in exchange for your services?"_

 _Wildstorm eased himself, but he didn't lower his weapon. His wish hadn't changed, but he knew it would never come true. "I want to see Kaos's head on the end of my blade," he said._

 _"Um...is there an option that's less gory?" Eon replied._

 _"Then I want to see him locked up in the highest tower, unable to escape until the day he rots. He cannot be allowed to harm another soul."_

 _"If we work together, I'm sure we can one day achieve this. Will you come along with us?"_

 _Wildstorm sheathed his blade. "Is there free food and board along with this?"_

 _"That is also guaranteed."_

 _"Then I'll come along."_

* * *

That evening, he snuck out to the yard, metal box and shovel in hand. He'd set the Skystone piece in the box, as well as the cloth from the basket. Wildstorm was prepared to dig a hole in the yard and bury the box away, ready to dig it up for later. He'd shown it to a few others- the box itself, not its contents. He still wanted to leave them out.

Wildstorm set the box down, firmly grabbing the shovel. He was prepared to start digging, but he couldn't quite begin. The things in the box meant something to him, and he couldn't simply bury it away. And he somehow felt wrong about wanting to spite the Senseis like this. It wasn't like they had meant to make him feel bad, and he had done his best to insist that he was fine.

He picked up the box and carried it back inside, letting out a heavy sigh. Wildstorm walked toward the living room, pausing as he saw the Senseis in there, watching television, laughing and smiling together. Wildstorm watched them for a few minutes before turning away and walking back outside. He still felt miles away from them, and he didn't think he could join them. They seemed to be doing well without them. He made his way out, sitting on the porch and looking up at the sky in melancholy.

He heard footsteps behind him, and Starcast came up and sat next to him. Wildstorm glanced at him, quickly looking away. They sat in silence for a moment, neither one looking at each other. Then Starcast spoke.

"I know that feeling, too," he explained. "I felt it when I first came here. Everyone already knew each other. They had already become a family. And there I was, sitting by myself, familiar with them, but not really knowing them. I can tell that this feeling of isolation bothers you, so you can tell me."

"...They're always leaving me behind," Wildstorm muttered.

"I think they forget sometimes."

Wildstorm didn't reply.

"What's in the box?"

Wildstorm handed it to him. Another minute of silence came in as Starcast looked through the box. The ninja let out a small chuckle, looking at the Skystone.

"So that's why you were trying to sneak it away," Starcast mused.

"It's stupid, I know," Wildstorm spat.

"What's the cloth for?"

"It was from a brownie basket that Chain Reaction got me once. Except it was a bribe to get me to talk about myself."

"Oh, we know how you don't enjoy talking."

"He managed to get a word out of me. It..."

Wildstorm paused, worried about telling Starcast more. It only had to stay between the two of them, right?

"It was the first time in a long while that I cried," Wildstorm muttered quickly. "That's it."

"And what does the Skystone mean to you?" Starcast asked.

"I played it a lot."

"With Boom Bloom?"

"Sure, whatever."

Starcast beamed. "You like playing against her, don't you?"

"She's an interesting partner for sure."

"Yet you still seem unwilling to really talk with us, no matter how much you look like you want to. Why is that?"

Wildstorm sighed. "I was abandoned. I've never had a family," he said. "I don't even know how to act with one. How does one get accustomed to a group such as this one?"

"It takes time, Wildstorm," Starcast promised. "I'm sure that the other Senseis weren't a family on day one. They had to grow into it, like we have to."

"I've been here for months, and I still haven't grown into it! You have your own bonds here, Starcast! I'm just the outcast living in the basement, and for some reason, you people let me stay!"

Starcast stood up, appearing to be angry. "We like you, that's why," he insisted. "And I like you. I wouldn't be out here if I didn't. We wish you could see that. I'm sorry for getting stern, but I don't know how else to get it through to you."

Wildstorm felt tears stream down his face. His wish hadn't changed. He still wanted a family. But it didn't seem to be meant for him. And he still wasn't willing to let himself be fooled by anyone telling him otherwise. Despite that...Wildstorm really wanted to believe Starcast about it.

"Do I look...broken, to you?" he stammered.

Starcast's expression softened, becoming more confused. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"Heck if I know. But Eon said that the world was made up of broken people. And I guess...I _feel_ broken. Does the feeling make more sense to you than the look?"

"Maybe. Would that be why you don't want to talk with us?"

Something caught inside himself, twisting like a snake around its prey, refusing to let it go. "I think it might be," Wildstorm realized.

Starcast knelt back down and hugged him. Wildstorm relished it, but his pain was still there. "You wouldn't be here if you knew what I'd done in the past," he choked out to the ninja. "I thought about that while I was in Skyhighlands, and I figured 'no wonder they left me'. I deserved to be alone."

"No one deserves to be alone," Starcast told him. "We need companionship in order to become better people, that much I know. In fact, leaving someone alone is the worst thing you can..."

"...What?"

Starcast released him for a moment, and Wildstorm got a good look at the ninja's face, which was contorted in a pattern of realization and horror. He suddenly hugged him tighter, gasping, "Oh stars, I should've done more for you that night."

Wildstorm didn't know what to think. He'd never seen that kind of expression on anyone's face before. Well, he'd seen it a few times in picture book, depicting characters that were worried about someone else, but he'd never seen it in real life. Was that a common look people gave each other? And Starcast was usually honest about the way he felt. So...he was genuinely worried for him.

"You asked how I was," Wildstorm insisted. "That's more than anyone has ever done for me."

Starcast released him. "You're being honest, right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Are you okay, then?"

"I think I will be."

Wildstorm wiped the tears from his face, listening to another figure run onto the porch. They looked to see Boom Bloom standing by the entry way, wearing the same concerned expression that Starcast had worn a minute before.

"Your show's on, Starcast," the plant girl explained. "Is...is everything okay?"

"I think so," Starcast said, getting up. "We were just sorting some things out. Wildstorm, are you coming in with us?"

Wildstorm grabbed the metal box, standing up with them. "Yeah," he replied.

"And are you sitting with us?" Boom Bloom added. "Because I was thinking you could make a barrier between me and Tri-tip in case he nods off and attempts to squish me."

Wildstorm let out a chuckle. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," he decided.

They walked inside, making their way to the living room. Wildstorm glanced at the Senseis sitting in there, welcoming them back. He felt odd still, as if he wasn't supposed to be there. But Starcast and Boom Bloom took their seats, motioning for him to come over, _wanting_ him there. Wildstorm took his place next to them, the knot in himself falling away.

 _I must be home,_ he decided.


	39. Pain-yatta: My Best Friend

Chapter Thirty-Nine: My Best Friend

Pain-Yatta wasn't the easiest to get along with. He was willing to admit that. He just felt rather...pathetic. He was short, filled with candy and made of papier-mache. He seemed to beg the bullies to come after him- not to mention the party-goers and snack monsters. Pain-Yatta had to be mean, or else no one would take him seriously.

Most people didn't want to stay around him long, and he understood that. But Unocorn was different. And he was lost out there, while Pain-Yatta was stuck in this stupid Traptanium cell, unable to help him!

All he could do was wallow in his loneliness, unable to make an escape.

One day, the walls of Cloudcracker Prison started shaking, cracks making their way along the cells. The prisoners started chanting and rioting, realizing that the day for escape had finally come. Pain-Yatta had joined along as well, feeling that same excitement. The bars on the cell broke off, and Pain-Yatta made his way out. The cracks in the walls connected with each other, and soon the facility started falling apart. The jovial behavior in the rest of the escaping inmates disappeared as they realized that this situation really was dangerous.

Pain-Yatta hobbled along as fast as his stubby little legs could take him, but part of the wall collapsed onto him. His body was in pain, his head and arms sticking out in plain view of the halls. He tried climbing out of the rubble, but his stub hands couldn't grip onto anything. His pulse turned to ice as he realized that he was trapped. He was going to get crushed with the rest of the building!

"Help! Someone help me!" Pain-Yatta screamed. "I'm trapped here! Please help me!"

Several people ran past him, but no one stopped to acknowledge him. The trolls ran past without skipping a beat, Troll 1 assisting an injured Troll 2. Bad Juju and Dreamcatcher floated by, chanting, "We're going back ho-ome! We're going back ho-ome!" Rage Mage shoved a slow Bomb Shell along, shouting at him to move his tuckus. Hawkmongous ran by, pausing a few times as he called out for Buzzer Beak, only for a newly-formed hole in the wall to tell him to hurry along. No matter how much Pain-Yatta shouted at them, no one came to help.

A few more pieces of the wall collapsed around him, and he screamed some more for help. A hooded person paused in his run, stopping to look at Pain-Yatta. The person, Hood Sickle, ran over to assist him. He tugged on the piñata's arms, but he wouldn't budge. He quickly started pulling rubble off of the pile to loosen him, but more filled in the gaps no matter how fast he worked. A strange light started shining off the Traptanium pieces, filling the place, creating a sense of dread in the two of them. Hood Sickle threw his arms around Pain-Yatta's head, a strange dark mist enveloping the two of them. They were suddenly teleported far outside the prison, landing on the gray dead rocks of the Outlands. Pain-Yatta watched as the prison blew up, Traptanium pieces being thrown across the sky in a great shower of light in the early sunrise.

"Whoa, would you look at that," Hood Sickle gasped. "You think any of the others made it out?"

"I can tell you that most of them did," Pain-Yatta spat, his body shaking in pain and terror. "Don't know about those Doom Raiders, though. They were at the center of the facility."

"Oh, who gives a Chompy's bottom about them?"

Hood Sickle staggered to his feet, wincing as he touched his arm. His sleeve had been cut, a bit of blood seeping up.

"Oh no, look at you," Pain-Yatta whimpered.

"It's fine. Something broke behind me, but I got myself out of there okay," Hood Sickle insisted. "How about you? Can you stand?"

Pain-Yatta pushed himself up, stumbling just a tiny bit. His lower body hurt, and his aching legs wobbled too much to keep him up. Hood Sickle came to his side before he fell down, and the piñata threw his arms around him in a tight hug, sobbing uncontrollably. Hood Sickle stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed and set his arms around him in understanding.

"I thought I was going to die!" Pain-Yatta wailed. "No one came to help me! They all just passed me without a second glance!"

"So much was happening just then. It was all very frantic," Hood Sickle explained. "They're not all complete monsters. Some of them are kind of decent, and had friends there that they needed to find. I have no one, and being on my own allowed me to assist you."

"Well I have no one, either. If I did, they would've rushed to my side to help me."

The two of them looked back at the remnants of the prison. A dark and light substance flew out, swirling around the floating pieces of Traptanium. Pain-Yatta's tears subsided, and he began calming down. He didn't think anyone remained in the ruins of the prison. They had probably made it out before the explosion, or else they were shot away along with the Trap Masters, who had mysteriously vanished when it began. He was even sure that the Doom Raiders had managed a way to safety, however trapped those vile villains were.

"We have each other, right?" Pain-Yatta asked.

Hood Sickle shifted the piñata onto his back. "That's right, we have each other," he promised him.

"So now what?"

"Now we make distance from any sign of the Skylanders and make sure they don't catch us, because that's what they're going to try to do once word gets out about this. Let's go farther into the Outlands- they never dare to travel to those places."

"How far until we're safe?"

"Past Shockspire Tower for sure. It's the barrier between the settlements and the wastes. We'll stay in the wastes, and once enough time passes, we can make our way back out."

Pain-Yatta nodded, and they set off on their way.

* * *

They traveled across the desert of the Outlands, the midday heat pounding on their backs. Pain-Yatta still rode on Hood Sickle's back, his stomach feeling ill as the candy inside started melting. He gently jabbed him in the side, begging to be let down. Hood Sickle obliged, and Pain-Yatta stumbled onto the ground, coughing up a bit of that candy.

"Oh man, it's so hot out here," Pain-Yatta groaned. "Are the wastes any better temperature-wise?"

"I'm not sure," Hood Sickle admitted. "I honestly didn't think about that earlier. Do you...produce it, or something?"

Pain-Yatta nodded.

"Oh man. Well, let's find some shade and rest for a moment. Do you think you can walk now?"

"It doesn't hurt as much. I think I can try."

They walked toward a cliffside that cast a large shadow on the ground. Pain-Yatta walked next to Hood Sickle, stumbling in pain a tiny bit and leaning on him. They set themselves on the cliff face and sat down, Pain-Yatta noting that it felt much better in there. A slender shape was seen in the sky several miles away from them, a beacon for travelers in the Outlands.

"Is that Shockspire Tower?" Pain-Yatta asked, pointing it out.

"Certainly is," Hood Sickle nodded. "That's the direction we're headed."

"It's still really far away, huh? Maybe we should wait until it gets a bit darker, that way we're not traveling in the heat."

"Sounds like a good idea. I can't stand the heat much myself."

They sat in silence for a moment, watching the clouds drift by. Pain-Yatta tried making shapes out of some of them, like ships or rabbits or things like that. It was something he did with Unocorn all the time when they were younger, though they usually lived in cooler places like the woods or the plains. (The tundras were too cold, and the deserts were too hot. Besides, the woods had plenty of items that helped in their survival, even with all of the sticks and twigs in it.) He didn't think Hood Sickle liked doing things like cloud watching- he seemed too stoic for that.

"You know, I was arrested by the Trap Masters for ransacking a department store," Pain-Yatta began. "That Dreamcatcher insisted that my friend might be there, but she was wrong. I never got to tell them my reason for doing that, nor ask where they had him hidden. How about you? What did you do?"

"I killed a guy," Hood Sickle replied.

Pain-Yatta let out a gasp.

"That was a joke."

"Oh. W-Well it sounded so serious."

"Well it is a serious thing, I guess. But that's basically what they saw it as. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, is all. There was a robber in the area. I should've waited for the authorities to get him. The Trap Masters didn't ask me about it, either."

"Do you still believe that people can be nice, then?"

"Things are more depressing when you believe otherwise."

There was a glint of light in the sky, falling steadily toward the ground. Pain-Yatta and Hood Sickle stood up cautiously, nervous as to what it could be. The glinting item grew bigger and bigger as it descended, eventually landing with a hard _smack!_ on the ground. It appeared to be a person in white armor, crumpled up on the ground, wings folded on himself. Hood Sickle and Pain-Yatta let out screams of fear, not believing what had happened.

"Oh Wizbit's ghost! Oh Wizbit's ghost! What is that!?" Pain-Yatta cried, hands on his head in anguish.

Hood Sickle pulled out his scythe, trembling in nervousness. He stepped toward the figure, poking it with the butt of his weapon. A groan was heard from the figure, confusing the two of them. Hood Sickle pushed a wing back, revealing that the figure was wearing a bird-like helmet. His body moved as he breathed in ragged breaths.

"This is impossible," Hood Sickle stammered. "He should be dead from that kind of fall."

Pain-Yatta slowly lowered his arms. "Th-That means we can help him, right?" he asked.

"We can't. Once people see us around this guy, they're going to assume that we did this. They'll freak out, and then the Skylanders will find incentive to come out here."

"But we can't just leave him, can we?"

Hood Sickle looked at him, then back at the winged man. He put his weapon away, shaking his head. "If no one comes for him, he'll waste away in the heat. Or animals will hurt him," he decided. "Let's take him to the tower."

They carried him through the desert, making their way to Shockspire Tower. They began a chorus of shouts for help, in case people did believe that they hurt the man. As they got closer to the building, they found a crowd of people nearby, all scared and disoriented. A troop of bronze-blue robots was standing around them, trying their best to assist them. One came over to Pain-Yatta and Hood Sickle, and the two of them nervously set the man on the ground.

"We saw him fall," Pain-Yatta explained. "He's badly injured, and he needs medical-"

"What do you two know about this Light and Dark Realm?" the robot asked them.

"What?" Hood Sickle asked.

"These people are claiming that they have been trapped in these strange places for the past four years. Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"

The two of them shook their heads.

"Alright, then. You said this man was injured?"

"Yes," Pain-Yatta replied.

"Okay. We'll do what we can for him. You can go on now, if you want."

Pain-Yatta and Hood Sickle quickly took their leave. Pain-Yatta hobbled behind the hooded man, noting that he was going in the opposite direction of the tower. Hood Sickle's body language showed fear and worry, as if he couldn't wait to be gone from that place.

"What's going on?" Pain-Yatta asked.

"Too many people there," Hood Sickle stammered, hands shaking nervously. "And if what they're saying is true, the Skylanders will have incentive to come and investigate. We can't go that way."

"So you're changing the plan? Where are we going to go now?"

"The woods or...or something. I don't know."

He didn't like the idea of wandering around. If they didn't know where they were going, they were sure to get stuck somewhere, or in trouble, or in any number of bad situations.

"Are we going to be okay?" Pain-Yatta muttered.

"We'll make sure of that," Hood Sickle insisted, though he didn't sound all that confident. "Whatever it takes, we're not going back to that prison."

* * *

 _They were constantly running after that. Hood Sickle had been right, and the Skylanders were scouring every corner of Skylands to find the escaped prisoners. Sometimes they had close brushes with returned Trap Masters or new recruits, and could only stay one step ahead of them._

 _It wasn't anything Pain-Yatta wasn't used to. He had been constantly running from danger before with a friend. Unocorn had always been by his side, always supportive of his actions, and always worried that someone might kill him for his churro horn. Pain-Yatta was just as fearful of that, as well as being beaten up by people with sticks. That was how life had always been for them._

 _Pain-Yatta had a peculiar dream one night when out hiding with Hood Sickle. In the dream, he found himself running around distorted woods, branches formed like frightening arms and trunks with faces seeming to scream at him. The wind howled around them, sending fear through every fiber of his body. A scream shouted in the area, and it sounded very familiar._

 _The pinata monster hurried through into a clearing, watching a very disturbing sight. He found Unocorn tied to a stake, trolls shouting around him. Cinnamon sprinkled down from his churro horn, caught in a jar set up by the trolls. Unocorn seemed very frail and sick, using the majority of his energy to call for help._

 _"I'm coming! Don't worry!" Pain-Yatta screamed._

 _He hurried after the circle of trolls, running anxiously for Unocorn. But the distance seemed to stretch longer and longer, and he couldn't quite reach them. Pain-Yatta felt tears stream down his face, finding it hopeless that he could make it to his friend in time. He tripped and collapsed to the ground, feeling his heart break in two. His friend was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to stop it!_

 _The grass and the trees soon melted away, as well as the circle of trolls and Unocorn on the stake. Everything became white, and Pain-Yatta looked up at a new figure. This was the floating head Dreamcatcher. She grinned at him, smiling with her full set of braces._

 _"Wow, what a depressing dream," she smirked. "Rather melodramatic, though, right?"_

 _"What do you want?" Pain-Yatta groaned. "It was your last tip that got me arrested at that department store, if you recall. Unocorn wasn't there."_

 _"And it was also my last tip that informed you that the Skylanders were behind his disappearance. You're like, so distrusting right now. Don't you get it? I know he was there- they probably took him out and set up a trap for you before I could warn you to get out of there."_

 _Pain-Yatta raised an eyebrow. "Are you here about him again?"_

 _"Totally, except not completely," Dreamcatcher explained. "I'm looking for information about Traptanium. You've seen it on your little travels, haven't you? It's like, all over the place since the prison blew up. Really filthy, you know. Anyway, I've been asked to take control of Telescope Towers in order to get this information from those scientific nerds. I'll need some help in securing the place, and you were the perfect person to do it- oh, and that Hood Sickle guy can come along, if he wants."_

 _"What's in it for us?"_

 _"Protection- if you're not too stupid, that is. And I believe that those nerds have a way of locating anything we need them to. If you help me, I think I can help you find Unocorn and make sure the lead doesn't get you into another trap."_

 _Pain-Yatta's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't too late, then. He could find his friend and make sure he was safe. Sure, everyone said that Dreamcatcher was known for lying, but...he just had to be sure, didn't he? He had to take this chance, right?_

 _"I'll talk to Hood Sickle," Pain-Yatta agreed. "I'll help you."_

 _"Oh goody goody gumdrops! That is so rocking!" Dreamcatcher cheered. "I'll bring transportation to your area ASAP. See you soon."_

Pain-Yatta opened his eyes, finding himself in a cave in the middle of the woods. The fire they had made earlier was slowly dying out, and the interior was rather dark. He found himself panicking, looking around the cave and realizing that his companion couldn't be seen. Hood Sickle couldn't have just left him, could he? Like everyone else he's ever come across? He wouldn't do that, right?

"Hood Sickle?" Pain-Yatta called, rocking back and forth in worry.

He heard a grumble, and a dark mass against the wall shifted and turned on its side. The figure opened one eye lazily, and Pain-Yatta recognized it as Hood Sickle's. Pain-Yatta let out a sigh of relief.

"What do you need, Pain-Yatta?" Hood Sickle grumbled tiredly.

"I was worried that you'd left," Pain-Yatta explained.

"You don't have to worry about that. I wouldn't leave you."

Hood Sickle sat up a bit, noticing that the fire was starting to go out. He got up and walked a little ways out of the cave. Pain-Yatta watched as the hooded man walked back in with a bundle of sticks, and watched still as he set the sticks on the fire. He felt guilty about the question he was about to ask. He was determined to go to Telescope Towers and find answers to his friend's disappearance, but he didn't want to drag him into it. Hood Sickle had been determined to avoid them, and he knew that the hooded man wouldn't want to go in an area where they might be coming after them.

"Hey Hood Sickle...," Pain-Yatta stammered. "I need...I need to go to Telescope Towers."

Hood Sickle looked at him in confusion. "What for?" he asked.

"I think I might be able to find information on my missing friend there."

"This...this doesn't have anything to do with the Skylanders, does it?"

"I don't know. Which is why you...you don't have to come along with me. I know how much your freedom means to you, and if my mission is going to get me in trouble...I don't want you to get in trouble as well."

Pain-Yatta got up, starting on his way. Dreamcatcher had said she'd be providing him transportation, though where that would be, he wasn't sure. He didn't get far before a gentle hand halted him. Pain-Yatta looked at Hood Sickle, noticing that his face had become a bit more bashful.

"Listen, you're the only one who's stuck around me this long," Hood Sickle muttered.

"I was injured for most of that time," Pain-Yatta replied.

"Doesn't stop most people from trying to get away from me. I used to be proud of my menacing look, but that's what got me locked up in the first place, and after that...well, I felt too lonely to see any real good in it. And you've been really patient with me, even when I didn't know where I wanted to take us, so...I'll go with you."

"A-Are you sure?"

"If danger befalls us, I'll make sure that they don't get me."

Pain-Yatta gave him a curt nod.

* * *

Telescope Towers was all in sorts thank to Dreamcatcher's magic affecting the place. She insisted that she needed extra muscle to sort the scientists in place and ensuring that they didn't get away before she stole their dreams, to which Hood Sickle and Pain-Yatta were willing to do. Pain-Yatta thrashed his giant lollipop about, terrifying the Mabu into place, while all Hood Sickle had to do was stand sort of near them and be menacing. In no time at all, they had the place to themselves, just as it seemed like the Skylanders might be arriving.

"Good job, boys! We've totally got that info in our grasps!" Dreamcatcher cheered. "Pain-Yatta, I think the library has the information you need to find your friend. Hood Sickle, you'll be most safe by my side- and I think I'll be most safe by your side as well. Fair trade-off, right?"

Pain-Yatta was about to hurry down the corridor, quickly halting as he noticed Hood Sickle stand about. The hooded man was sitting just outside of the library tower, brow furrowed in contemplation as Dreamcatcher hovered around him.

"Is everything alright?" Pain-Yatta asked.

"Something just seems...off, you know," Hood Sickle muttered. "Are you sure we're safe here? We're just begging for the Skylanders to come after us."

"We're totes safe," Dreamcatcher insisted. "This place is practically in a different reality now. There's no way they can hope to harm us."

Pain-Yatta stood around for a moment, glancing at the two of them. "I'm going to go to the library," he told them.

"For your sake, I hope you find what you're looking for," Hood Sickle told him.

Pain-Yatta nodded and ran into the tower. It would be the last that he saw of Hood Sickle for a while.

He ran up a spiraled staircase, passing bookcase after bookcase. He reached the top of the steps, noting that books were spread out all over the place. (It should be noted that each tower had looked like this before their interference.) Tall bookcases lined the walls, and an owl glided around each of these, sorting out different kinds of books. The owl looked just as studious as the rest of the scientists did, despite not being sentient.

"Hi, Mr. Owl!" Pain-Yatta called up to it. "I could use your help."

The owl paused in its work, hooting at him.

"Could you please find me something on the recent sightings of Unocorn? You know, the unicorn with a churro horn? That guy?"

The owl flew away, gliding toward a stack of folders on the ground. It pulled one out, flying back to Pain-Yatta. The owl dropped the folder at his feet, and flew back to a different bookshelf, letting out a screech.

"Thank you!" Pain-Yatta shouted, picking up the folder. He opened it up and studied the papers inside, looking for specific locations as to where Unocorn had gone.

One said he'd been spotted in the Enchanted Elven Forest several months ago. No help there.

Another said he'd been found near the Chocolate Ocean four months ago. Still too much time from then to now.

One interesting one came from a group of wizards, who had encountered Unocorn but had been scared of by a red fire unicorn. That was at least three months ago.

And the most recent sighting was in Skywinder Canyon, making faces at some of the racers at least...two weeks ago, before mysteriously vanishing. Pain-Yatta could check for clues there once he was done at Telescope Towers.

But looking through the files created uncertainty in his mind. He'd been told that the Skylanders were behind Unocorn's disappearance, perhaps even captured him. They could've had him locked up in someplace like Cloudcracker, or someplace worse than Cloudcracker. Heck, Dreamcatcher even agreed...

She'd even said that he'd been seen at that department store. And the file mentioned nothing about Unocorn being seen in a department store. Had he been duped this whole time? Had he been duped into becoming an enemy by those Doom Raiders?

He'd been scammed, hadn't he!?

Pain-Yatta rushed down the stairs, determined to confront Dreamcatcher about her scheme. He felt anger boil in his stomach, rattling with the candy inside. He had his giant lollipop out, prepared to try and bash her if necessary. He halted at the door, noticing figures out there. The figures seemed to be trying to solve the puzzles in this weird state that Telescope Towers had been put in. There was no doubt that they were Skylanders.

In a better frame of mind, he would've asked them for help, trying to explain that he'd beek tricked. But he wanted nothing more than to attack something, even if it wasn't Dreamcatcher.

And he'd been captured again.

* * *

About a year had passed after all of that. He'd spent the better half of his time stuck in a Trap- which was probably for the best, considering that whole Rift Crisis. For some reason, the Skylanders wanted him on board to teach other Skylanders how to act. And they had agreed to help him find his missing friend as well. It was better than the prison, he decided.

Though if Pain-Yatta was really honest with himself, he felt like he belonged there. After everything he'd done, who would bother with him again?

He'd hidden away in the Academy's observatory one afternoon, fiddling with the telescope. It was awfully quiet in there, perhaps due to the fact that people rarely visited this part of the Academy, but it was nice. Pain-Yatta had no desire to seek anyone out. He was far too ashamed of himself for that.

The door opened, and Pain-Yatta turned his head around to find someone walking in- a hooded man, who looked surprised to see him there. A lump caught itself in his throat. That was Hood Sickle. It had been so long since he'd seen him.

"Are you joining the Skylanders, too?" Pain-Yatta asked.

Hood Sickle nodded meekly, eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah. It's...it's nice to see you. I understand if...if you're mad. I do. But-"

He barely got to finish his sentence before Hood Sickle launched himself at the pinata monster, wrapping his arms around him. Pain-Yatta heard him pouting, though he found himself too shocked to do much. He didn't get it. After what had happened in Telescope Towers, everyone had to be mad at him.

"I've missed you," Hood Sickle told him.

"Me too," Pain-Yatta replied. He set his arms around Hood Sickle, finding himself crying as well.

Perhaps Hood Sickle saw him as his only friend. It didn't matter, Pain-Yatta guessed. Unocorn was still out there, and he was still determined to find him- but it was better to have company while doing so.


	40. Smash Hit: Blind Spot

**Sorry I was gone for so long. I was very busy with end of school stuff and I forgot to catch up.**

Chapter Forty: Blind Spot

The clouded vision in Smash Hit's right eye did not deter him from picking a fight with a ravenous Chompy Worm. This one was smaller, about the size of a Bog Hog, meaning it must have just emerged from the pod it had pupated in. That did not mean, however, that this small Chompy Worm was less dangerous than any other. It hovered toward him whenever he stepped away, nearly chomping him on several occasions. Smash Hit swung his wrecking ball at it, crashing it into the Chompy Worm's side. He unchained the ball and set the hook on the creature's top jaw, trapping it in place. The creature's right wing slapped him, causing him to lose his balance and fall back onto the canyon floor.

He'd been told that his skills were impressive, but that he was always getting caught off guard by attacks on his right flank. That was definitely worrisome.

But Smash Hit was not to be defeated by this beast. The Chompy Worm made a move to bite him again, but he quickly dodged this attack, watching as it slid into the canyon wall. Reconnecting the ball to his chain, Smash Hit thrust the wrecking ball directly onto the Chompy Worm, crushing it in a fatal blow.

"Nothing more than an overgrown Chompy, huh?" Smash Hit gloated. "In fact, a Chompy can put up more of a fight than you did, especially with food around."

Slow clapping was heard, and Smash Hit turned his head around. The Dreadwalker known as Nightfall walked toward him, gently nudging him out of the way in order to inspect the Chompy Worm. After a few minutes, she had the creature's wings and teeth gathered within her dark tentacles, holding them carefully as if they were precious stones.

"Nice job. Though I was worried for a moment," Nightfall told him. "I would've stepped in if the worm had bitten you. There's no fighting against a force such as that."

"You know they can't take me down," Smash Hit insisted. "I'm like a shadow. Or a mongoose. No, actually like a honey badger. There's no messing with those guys. Have you ever seen a honey badger in action, cuz let me tell you, they're really hard to chase off your land or-"

"Your skills were a bit lacking today. Not by much, but you let that thing catch you off guard. You need to work on honing your senses so it doesn't happen again. Maybe we should spar a bit, see how that helps."

Smash Hit kicked his shoe into the dirt. For the past few weeks, he'd asked Nightfall to help him wean out his disability- that bad right eye he'd acquired from an incident at his old home. They thought that if he were to become powerful enough, than it would be like he'd never lost the use of his eye at all. The results so far were...diminishing, to say the least. It seemed like Smash Hit was performing worse without the eye patch he'd been given to cover up his blind spot.

Still, his only hope was to learn how to fight better without the eye patch. If he didn't, the world would only ever see him as a useless being- just like his clan had started to.

The two of them returned to their vehicles, which had been parked just near the canyon river. Smash Hit owned the Thump Truck, which was a glorious land vehicle with giant gray wheels that dwarfed the orange body, destined to churn up rocks and stones everywhere it went. Nightfall had the Sea Shadow, a hovercraft with blue and purple on its hull, which had the ability to shoot lasers at any target. The Sea Shadow was nice- but nowhere near as fantastic as the Thump Truck. Nightfall was passionate about the hovercraft, though, so Smash Hit never stated his opinion out loud. Both vehicles were special, however, because of the magical Rift Engines inside them. The Engines helped their vehicles move faster than any others in Skylands, and today, they seemed to be surging with some kind of energy. Up and down, the sparks shifted, as if they were sensing something that was near.

"I've never seen this kind of reaction before," Nightfall gasped, touching a tentative tentacle to the hull of the Sea Shadow. "Not since I made contact with my Rift Engine, at least."

Smash Hit's pulse quickened, his hands trembling as he thought of the moment he'd made contact with his. "Maybe there's another powerful machine out here," he wondered. "Something dangerous."

"Well if it's dangerous, we can't keep it standing so that it can harm other people. Let's track it down. By this surge in energy, it can't be far."

Nightfall could be rather impetuous at times. Not as much as Smash Hit himself, but it was really noticeable when she wanted to keep something safe. And normally, he was willing to go out and look for danger- heck, he even found pleasure in it. But if it was an extremely, dangerously powerful machine, well, Smash Hit knew he wasn't in any position to destroy it.

But it would be selfish of him to let Nightfall tackle this enemy alone.

So the two of them hopped into their vehicles, traveling around the canyon to track the source of the surging. The Thump Truck seemed to have more thrust in its Rift Engine because of this, and controlling the vehicle was a bit more difficult than normal. After traveling several miles deeper into the canyon, they happened upon an interesting site, which happened to be the source of the surging.

It was a crashed aircraft, one that looked like those old serial depictions of alien vessels. The back end was charred, bits of metal chipping off. Golden-yellow spikes on the sides also seemed to be a bit damaged. There was a Rift Engine sitting near the vessel, and an strange creature leaning on it. The creature seemed to be made of a light yellow crystal, wearing a strange white-and-mustard colored space suit. It had no helmet like in those serials, or a breathing mask akin to that of Nightfall's, so perhaps this creature was accustomed to breathing the same kind of air as they were. Although...it did look kind of sickly.

"That guy's Rift Engine is surging like ours is," Nightfall noted. "And it looks like it's been in this area for a while."

"But our Engines only started surging recently," Smash Hit replied, confused by all of this. "Do you think he's an alien? You know, he doesn't look like any of the aliens from those movie serials. Do you know what I mean? The green guys with the big heads and black, emotionless eyes, always wearing big clunky suits and shooting lasers and saying 'take me to your leader'?"

"Those depictions are just assumptions made by science fiction writers of the past. We have no way of determining what an alien would actually look like, or even if it's gender would align with any of the ones we have."

"Unless this guy is one."

Nightfall nodded, setting a finger below her breathing mask.

"Do you think he called for help? Is that why our vehicles are surging? Oh, what if he tried to contact his race to pick him up? Are they coming for him? Oh boy, are we going to be invaded by an alien armada!?"

"Why don't you go up to him and find out?" Nightfall suggested, shoving him forward a bit using her tentacles.

Smash Hit clenched his fists, frowning at her. "Why do I have to do it!? What if he has acid breath or laser eyes or something else that can kill me?!"

"You're small and cuddly, and he won't readily perceive you as a threat."

"Oh, you have seen those serials, haven't you? You're looking at me like those forest bear-things from Space Rebellion III- which, by the way, was the most disappointing entry in that series."

"But if he is an alien, don't you want to be the first to make contact with another strange lifeform?"

Smash Hit sighed, resigning himself to his fate. He nervously stepped forward several inches, closer and closer to the alien. He paused just in front of him, noting that the alien's cheeks seemed damp from tears, and that his lips seemed moist from mucus. The alien lifted his head a little bit, looking at Smash Hit and suddenly stiffening in worry. He muttered some kind of jibberish that neither of them could understand, though it was most likely his native tongue.

"Er... Smash Hit, nice to meet you!" Smash Hit announced, holding his hand out.

The alien looked at him for a moment, the fearful look in his gaze fading away. He pointed at the Warsupial, muttering, "...Smash Hit."

"That would be my name, yes. And yours?"

"My name is...Astroblast."

And then the alien grabbed Smash Hit's hand, shaking it gently. This was an odd thing. This creature, Astroblast, suddenly seemed aware of the custom that Smash Hit was presenting him with. Astroblast's gaze then settled on their vehicles, noting that they were surging in the same way that his Rift Engine was.

"Your vehicles share a similar power unit to this one," Astroblast gasped.

"Okay, how are you speaking our language fluently now?" Smash Hit asked.

"Universal translator. Most of my people have one. Have...have you spotted any of their ships?"

"Would they resemble yours?"

Astroblast nodded.

Oh, so he was trying to get into contact with his race. "I don't think we have. Sorry."

"That's what I thought you would say."

Astroblast stood up, wobbly legs shaking beneath him. He stumbled toward his ship, tripping up and nearly falling. Smash Hit caught him, supporting him as best as he could- he was only three feet tall, after all. Astroblast leaned on him, spitting up bile onto the ground. He looked especially weak at this moment, though he tried his hardest to appear strong.

Nightfall hurried over to them, helping support Astroblast. "Oh no, is our world's micro organisms wreaking havoc on your immune system, slowly and horribly killing you?" she asked.

"No, I've spent many months adjusting to them before setting foot here," Astroblast groaned. "This is me trying to adjust to your world's gravitational forces. It's not the first time I've experienced this, but I've spent several days like this, which is definitely not normal. I just..."

"What do you need?"

"Find me water. Any water. I don't even care if it's stagnant."

Smash Hit pursed his lips. "Oh, I think you will," he noted. "I tried it once, and let me tell you, it was the worst week of my life. We'll find some better water for you, don't worry."

Nightfall stepped away from them. "Actually, I think I should go," she decided. "It would be unwise to leave our new friend without protection in case something tries to maul him."

"In case something tries to what?" Astroblast stammered.

Smash Hit patted him on the back. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you," he promised.

Smash Hit waved goodbye as Nightfall retreated to the Sea Shadow, speeding off along the river in search of clean water. He sat on the ground, Astroblast slumping down next to him. Pouts were heard from the alien, and all that Smash Hit could feel was guilty, even though he hadn't wrecked his ship.

"Hey, stop crying," he muttered. "It takes a lot of energy, you know. You can't really afford to waste it right now."

"I'm really happy, you know," Astroblast sighed with melancholy. "I thought I would wither away here. I'm an easy target in my current state- I'm thankful that nothing has tried to attack me. You guys...won't leave, will you?"

"Of course not. Heck, if you want, you can travel with us, so long as you can hold your own against monsters- but I have a feeling you'll have no trouble with that."

Astroblast smiled- it was the first time he'd done that. "Thank you so much," he muttered.

Smash Hit nodded. He looked out at the river, waiting for Nightfall to return. The three of them were on the same boat, in a few ways. The Warsupial was a stranger to the ways of the world beyond his desert home, and the ways of other clans were foreign to him. Astroblast had no reference to anything else in Skylands, trapped and alone in his ways. Nightfall was a stranger to the world as well, having left her isolated home on a self-enforced exile. Perhaps they could be alone together, sorting out the rules of this world as one big group.

* * *

They stayed in that same area for about a week, waiting until Astroblast recuperated so they could set off. Smash Hit spent that time training without his eyepatch, smashing and shadowboxing rocks near their campsite. He found himself faltering a lot, nearly tripping up over the smaller stones. It really was rather difficult to fight when one side of your face was shrouded in a blurry mist.

He concluded with this one evening, dragging his wrecking ball back to the Thump Truck. Smash Hit leaned against his vehicle with a sigh, watching his friends at their activities. Nightfall was sharpening her strange hooks, while Astroblast was fixing up his airship. (The alien had recovered enough at this point in order to do that.) They seemed much happier than he felt.

"Night, I need to talk to you," Smash Hit called over.

"Away from camp?" Nightfall asked, brow furrowed. "You can come up to my side here so we can-"

"It's a bit personal."

Nightfall nodded, getting up from where she sat. "Astroblast, will you be okay on your own?" she questioned him.

Astroblast found a strange-looking blaster in the cockpit of his vessel. "I think so," he decided. "If not, I'll come get you. You're not going far, I hope."

"Just around the corner."

"Okay, then."

Smash Hit skipped back to his training spot, Nightfall just behind him. He found that his heart was racing faster than normal, not to mention how his hands were trembling. He was worrying about what to say, that much was certain. Well, he knew what to say, but not what outcome they would bring.

"Y-you've seen me practice out here, right?" Smash Hit began.

Nightfall nodded.

"I've been tripping up lately, more than usual. I can get my body in the motions, but beyond that, I'm unsuccessful in executing a move. Sometimes I can get in a few good ones, but that number goes down bit by bit as the week passes. I...I might be getting worse."

Nightfall set her hands on her hips, contemplating this. "Yes, I've noticed that," she added. "You are slipping up a bit more than normal. But there are numerous causes for this, so let's think about it rationally. Could be a lack of sleep. Could be an improper diet- I mean, we've had nothing but canned food for a month, and that can't be good for us."

"Then you'd be faltering as well."

No comment.

"Let's face it- it's my stupid bad eye. It's hampering my skill. I need my full sight if I'm going to get back to my old self."

"Alright, so we know the cause of this. So tell me, and this might sound obvious, but what can we do to make this better?"

She was hinting at the eyepatch as the solution. But just thinking about it made him feel ill. _Look at that fellow with the eyepatch. All small and wounded. He really seems incapable of anything us normal folk can do._ "Let's think of something else," Smash Hit spat. "Something better."

"There is nothing better, now is there?" Nightfall argued. "I know you're uncomfortable with the eyepatch, but it's helping you."

"It's a crutch. I can't rely on a crutch forever."

Nightfall was prepared to say something else, but Astroblast came running after them, firing his laser behind him. He knelt to the ground, looking a bit dizzy. Guess he wasn't fully adjusted yet.

Nightfall quickly ran to his side, helping him up. "What is it?" she gasped.

Smash Hit saw blue-and-purple lights right behind Astroblast, flickering and changing, and his heart dropped to his stomach as he realized what was after them. "Night! Spell Punks on his six!" he shouted.

"Go after them," Nightfall commanded. "I'll be with you quick as I can."

He swerved past them, making his way to camp. There really was no way around it, was there? Smash Hit grabbed the eyepatch from his pocket, putting it over his bad eye. He held his wrecking ball in a stern position as soon as he arrived at their vehicles. Three Spell Punks, perhaps of the Magic Element, floated around Astroblast's Rift Engine. They chortled to themselves, and began using levitation magic to pick the device up.

Horrible memories flashed in his mind for a moment, and only just. "Oh no you don't!" Smash Hit shouted.

He leapt up, grabbing the Rift Engine on one of the sides. The Spell Punks lost focus on the levitation due to shock, dropping both him and the device back onto the ground. The fall wasn't very high, and Smash Hit was up on his feet, swinging his wrecking ball in the air. He threw it at one Spell Punk, slamming it to the ground. The other two fired energy spells at him, which he managed to dodge with surprising ease. Smash Hit detached the ball, grabbing another Spell Punk with the hook, pulling it toward the ball's spinning spikes.

It was at this point that Nightfall ran to his side, grabbing her tentacles on all three of them. She threw them with all her might, crushing them against the canyon walls. The Spell Punks dissipated after that, their energy wasted. Smash Hit crossed his arms. The Dreadwalker always ended fights in anti-climactic ways.

Astroblast staggered back into camp, a wide, excited smile on his face. "Smash Hit, your moves were impressive!" he cheered, hands clasped together. "They didn't even land a hit on you."

Smash Hit quickly took of his eyepatch, stomping over to the alien. "They were after your Rift Engine," he said sternly. "You can't leave stuff like that lying around for everyone to gawk at, especially things like that."

"Smash, leave him be," Nightfall warned him.

The Warsupial inhaled sharply, trying to calm himself down. "Just trying to make sure he understands, that's all," he sighed. "Astroblast, do you have any idea what that is?"

"The Rift Engine? No, not quite," Astroblast muttered, rubbing an arm. "It's definitely a power source, that's for sure. I was using it to power the comms device in my ship."

"Well it can do more than power a little telephone. It can power our vehicles, large trains, armadas of dangerous drones...it's something that evil far more knowledgeable about it than you desires to get their hands on."

Astroblast visibly deflated.

Smash Hit stretched his arms behind his back, casually walking away from him. "Well now you know," he concluded. "So now you can be a bit more careful about it."

"Astroblast, you could just as easily install the Rift Engine into your own vehicle," Nightfall suggested. "Our vehicles act as shields, for lack of a better term. They surge with energy if someone other than ourselves even attempts to get into the cockpit. But it would have to be you who does it- mine reacted poorly when I tried to have someone else put it in."

The alien sighed, kneeling at his Rift Engine. "I need more parts for the full repair, though," he explained. "The inner machinery is fried, the cooling pipes are all cracked, and the thrusters are completely shot. I don't know if any metals from this world will be compatible with the ones from mine, and without the thrusters, I'm definitely not getting off world."

"I'll help you tow it into a village tomorrow," Smash Hit decided. "We can find a garage to help you set it up better, not to mention find some parts."

"Why not right now?"

Smash Hit climbed into the seat of the Thump Truck, grabbing out a small white blanket. He found that his hands were trembling again, and the awful memories from before wouldn't stop bugging him. "Don't feel like it right now, honestly."

"Fair point. And you _did_ just fight a lot of people, so..."

"I'll start a fire," Nightfall announced, heading to the Sea Shadow.

Smash Hit sat at one of the Thump Truck's tires, wrapping the blanket around himself. The sudden fear he felt clung tightly to his mind, refusing to let go and give him ease. He could only hope that Astroblast had understood him about the Rift Engine's dangers.

* * *

 _Warsupial clans were often moving and changing location, mostly when things got too quiet. They sought out danger, always chasing after something to fight. Smash Hit was aware that the other clans attributed this behavior to his kind's dwindling numbers- at least, he had become aware of it upon leaving the desert where his clan had settled._

 _His clan found out how to cure their boredom for a little while. Rather than join in petty wars like other species were apt to do, they sought out Arkeyan ruins to demolish. They all said it was their duty, but they found it far too fun in order to consider it as such. Smash Hit remembered taking to it with open arms, creating his own kind of art form from that destruction. There was a might and a passion to his work that his friends and allies admired, and he made sure to keep his skills sharp and refined on every job._

 _One sweltering afternoon, he and a crew of seven others came across the ruins of a large Arkeyan building- the foreman decided that it had been a factory. Three of them, himself included, went inside to demolish the machines before the bomb squad set up the charges to completely level the building. Typical work went on, with Smash Hit pounding unfinished drones into thin sheets of metal, when he cleared some old tech away to discover a strange item._

 _It was a brass engine. Or bronze. The thing was so ancient that it was hard to tell what material it was made from. It's point of origin was also a mystery, since it had none of the typical indicators of Arkeyan machinery. No, it almost seemed...older, than anything left behind by the evil robots._

 _"Hey guys, check this out!" Smash Hit shouted._

 _The other Warsupials ran to his side, standing in awe of the strange device. Neither of them seemed to recognize it, either._

 _"This is definitely something we can't give up," the first one said. "Finders Keepers rule, Smash. What do you want to do with it?"_

 _"I've been working on a truck to help me with future Moving Days," Smash Hit decided. "If this thingy works, I can finally get it working."_

 _"Man, what I'd give for a truck," the second one groaned, crossing his arms. "It's so hard lugging all my trinkets around all the time."_

 _The first one laughed. "You're only supposed to carry the small stuff."_

 _"But I'm too attached to it all!"_

 _The second one gripped Smash Hit on the arm with his blue work gloves. "You don't carry anything big around! Everything you have is in that metal box of yours!" he moaned. "Let me have that truck."_

 _"No way," Smash Hit insisted. "Finder's Keepers rule."_

 _"You built it yourself, though."_

 _"So I'm technically the one that found it. But maybe I'll let you borrow it on weekends."_

 _"It won't be relevant on weekends!"_

 _They had a laugh about it, then went off back to work. Smash Hit decided to pull the engine out. One touch was all it took to bring the device to life. It suddenly surged with energy, sparks bouncing in all directions. He felt something click within him, something that almost hurt. It felt like what others said was a bond, but you can only bond with living creatures. This engine was...alive then!?_

 _"Wow! nice work, Smash!" the first one cheered, clapping for him. "How'd you do it?"_

 _"I, um...," Smash Hit stammered._

 _Their celebratory actions were short-lived, because the other machines had started coming to life as well. Some furnaces had kicked on. A few drones were crawling on the ground, a bit too rusted to do much. An Autogyro hanging above them started moving spinning its propellers around, dangling on the ropes and attempting to break free._

 _And it definitely looked like it was about to break free at any moment._

 _"Duck down!" the second one shouted._

 _And they all ran toward the nearest walls, hitting the dirt. The Autogyro crashed down, picking up dirt in the air with its propellers still spinning. The biggest threat was now gone, it seemed. Smash stood back up, running over to his companions to see if they were okay._

 _The next event happened too quickly for him to avoid it._

 _Something fell off the Autogyro- whatever it was, he couldn't be sure. It flew at Smash Hit with a great force, hitting him and forcing him to the ground. He found himself on his back, the air knocked out of him, too stunned to move._

 _"Smash!" the second one gasped._

 _"Wait a sec! The propeller's still moving!" the first one warned him._

 _Smash Hit's senses came back to him. There was excruciating pain on the right side of his face, and the sight in his right eye appeared reddish and blurry. There was also something wet and damp on his face as well, sliding down his cheek and staining the fur around it. Smash Hit lifted his shaky hand, touching the damp thing, and then taking a look a his red-stained fingers._

 _There was nothing else for it. He let out a great shriek._

 _Because a Warsupial's worst nightmare is the sight of their own blood._

* * *

It was this kind of shriek that Smash Hit awoke with. He sat up in tremors, his body shaking as if it were in the cold. He took slow breaths to ease his pounding heart, and then let out a sigh as he glanced at a purple sky tinted red with early sunrise.

 _Nothing but a dream,_ he tried to tell himself. _Nothing but the past._

But it wasn't just the past. He'd lost half his sight. He was a shell of a once-capable Warsupial. His skills were waning with each day he tried practicing without an eyepatch. An eyepatch that only made him look more frail, he might add.

Smash Hit looked for Nightfall and Astroblast, only to discover that they had both come up right next to him. Their brows were contorted in worry and concern. Nightfall even had her hand up, prepared to touch him if she thought it would help him feel better.

"I woke you guys up, huh?" Smash Hit asked.

Astroblast gave a curt nod.

"I'm alright. It was just a nightmare."

"Yeah, but it sounded really bad," Astroblast muttered. "Do you want to talk about it, at least?"

Smash Hit stood up, the blanket falling to the ground. "I don't know," he insisted. "Just...I'm going to walk around for a minute."

Nightfall appeared as if she was going to say something, but quickly straightened up and let him go off.

Smash Hit walked away from them, picking up his wrecking ball. He made his way around to his training spot, eager to get back to work. But he heard footsteps behind him, and turned around to see Astroblast following behind him.

"So what was your dream about?" he asked.

Smash Hit frowned. "I thought I said-"

"You said you weren't sure."

He didn't reply. He _had_ said that, huh?

"I just thought...maybe it might help."

Smash Hit leaned against the canyon wall, letting out a sigh. "It was about an accident. A terrible, terrible accident."

Astroblast leaned next to him. "Was anyone important hurt? Anyone you cared about?"

"I was."

"Did you die?"

"I lost my ability to fight. So basically, yeah, I died."

Astroblast drummed his fingers on the wall behind him. "Does it have anything to do with whatever you do out here?"

"How'd you guess?"

"I don't know. There was this kind of desperation around you whenever I saw you go out there. And I've watched you train out here a couple times, and noticed how frustrated you got. Does Nightfall know the reason?"

"She agreed to it. At least in the beginning. Now she's pushing me away from doing it."

"Well what is it?"

Smash Hit slid to the ground. "My right eye is useless. I can't fight as well as I used to because of it. Everyone in my clan started treating me like a child after the accident. I wanted to ensure that I could work as well as before."

"Well you were fantastic against those weird Spell Punk things."

"I was wearing an eyepatch. It makes it easier for me to focus on my target. It's rather blurry in my right eye, you know."

"If the eyepatch helps, why don't you just wear it all the time?"

"It's a crutch! It makes me look weak!"

Astroblast raised an eyebrow. "What's a crutch?"

"It's like a fancy cane, or stick. It helps people walk when they have broken legs, or if they're missing a leg, or if their bones are brittle or other things. Your species doesn't have any?"

"No, our medical technology is too good for that. We can repair damaged limbs in under an hour."

"Well, say you guys had none of those fancy gizmos and were stuck with what we have. You break your leg and need to walk around with a crutch. And then everyone starts giving you these looks, frowns, grimaces, trying not to upset you and failing at every turn. They see you as a weakling. Would you still keep using the crutch?"

"I'm not going to stop because I'm worried about what others think, especially if it's helping me."

Smash Hit scoffed, bringing his knees to his chest. "Yeah, it's the looks that are the worst," he admitted. "All of my clan members looked at me like I was broken. Like I couldn't do anything. And it made me feel broken, too."

Astroblast slid down as well. "It makes sense, I guess. I can't say that I relate. But if you're treating your eyepatch as a crutch, it sounds like you're not using a crutch at all. There's no shame in needing help. And yeah, maybe you're not the same as you were before, but it doesn't mean that you're any weaker, or that being different than before is bad. Does...does that help?"

Smash Hit felt his bad eye sting as tears came forth. Nightfall was only trying to help him, huh? To ensure that he really could be at the best of his ability? "You think I should wear that eyepatch all the time?" he muttered.

"Y-yeah, kinda," Astroblast replied. "I don't want you to feel as if you're being pushed into it, though."

Smash Hit stood up, stretching. "One day, then. One whole day," he decided. "If it turns out to help after that, then I'll stick to the eyepatch from now on."

Astroblast nodded in agreement.

* * *

They traveled on in the morning, albeit a bit slowly. Astroblast's ship, as well as his Rift Engine, were towed to the Thump Truck. To ensure that neither were damaged, Smash Hit had to move slower than he liked to. Nightfall led the way, traveling along the river with Astroblast in the Sea Shadow. She'd noted how annoying she found it to go slow as well, seeing as the alien complained about motion sickness.

"How much farther until we reach the village?" Nightfall asked over the radio.

Smash Hit glanced at the map on his dashboard. "Not much farther, I don't think," he replied.

He was currently wearing the eyepatch, and found that it did help him with driving. It was easier to get a view of the path ahead without the blurry vision in his right eye mucking it up. Things certainly seemed easier without that blur in the way.

They paused as a strange sound carried through the air. Maybe a roar, or a cackle. It made Smash Hit's skin crawl, terrified as to what it could be. A monster, or more Spell Punks, or maybe something else.

"What do you think that could be?" Astroblast muttered.

"Nothing good, that's for sure," Nightfall decided. "Detour, Smash?"

"Detour," Smash Hit agreed.

They moved from the path, following the sound as far as they could. It led them out of the canyon, onto the red rocks above. They discovered a camp nearby, which appeared to be the source of the sound. There was a group of Drow witches surrounding a pool of water, chattering about something. A large fish-like head was bobbing out of the water, biting at the air, roaring at the witches.

"What is that? What are they doing!?" Smash Hit gasped.

A sound came over the radio, like a gasp or a cough, and then nothing. Nightfall had tried to answer him, but had nothing to say. Smash Hit leapt out of the Thump Truck, running toward the camp. He pulled out the wrecking ball, holding it in a threatening position, as the witches turned to face him. They all glared at him, fists clenched.

"So what have we got here, hm?" Smash Hit growled.

"Nothing that needs concern for vermin such as yourself," one witch spat. "Get lost, or we'll be sure to feed you to the hatchling. I hear they love crunching bones between their teeth."

Smash called out to the others, "They have a weird hatchling!"

The witches shot energy bolts at him, which he dodged with ease. He swung the wrecking ball at them, knocking the away. Nightfall and Astroblast hurried over to his side, just before the witches recovered. Astroblast fired his laser at the witches, directing their fire at him and allowing Smash Hit to slam the witches onto the ground. Nightfall raced to the pool, grabbing the creature with her tentacles. She yanked it out of the water, revealing a strange eel-like monster the size of a water tank.

"Oh my! A Hydra Hatchling!" Nightfall gasped.

"Where'd you creeps ever get something like that?" Smash Hit spat at the witches.

Another witch fired an energy bolt at Astroblast, who had his shoulder injured. "That Hatchling will pave the way to a new Skylands," she yelled. "We will not let you harm it."

Smash Hit pursed his lips. "Well, it doesn't seem like you're not letting us," he smirked. "But that doesn't mean you're going to succeed."

The witches raced after Nightfall. The Dreadwalker tossed the Hydra Hatchling over to Smash Hit before the witches reached her. He swung his wrecking ball up and slammed the fish onto the ground. The witches went to chase after him, but Astroblast chased them off with his laser blaster. The enemies scattered, leaving their supplies behind.

"How's your shoulder?" Smash Hit asked.

Astroblast winced as he touched it. "It's not so bad," he insisted. "It really hurts, though. So where was that village?"

"Not too far from here."

Dark tentacles wrapped around the twitching Hydra Hatchling, and the two of them watched as Nightfall returned to the Sea Shadow. "We better keep moving, then," she announced.

They returned to their vehicles, retracing their steps and returning to the path. Getting behind the wheel of the Thump Truck, Smash Hit found himself giggling. His heart felt light, excited at how well he'd done in that fight. He contacted Nightfall on the radio, unable to stifle his chuckling.

"What do you need?" Nightfall asked.

"I think I'm going to keep wearing that eyepatch from now on," Smash Hit explained. "That's all."

A chuckle came on the radio, Nightfall agreeing with his decision.


	41. Boom Bloom: Little Mutant

Chapter Forty-One: Little Mutant

Boom Bloom walked through a thick jungle, getting trapped by vines and plants wherever she went. It was hard to maneuver around the foliage. It was as if the jungle hated her, punishing her for what she was. Each vine that wrapped around one of her bulbs seemed to say, _We should trap a monster like you before you burn us to the ground._ Every thorn she stepped on seemed to shout, _You should suffer with every step you take._ The large blooming flowers, sporting pinks and oranges and yellows, seemed to scoff, _Look at us lovely things, and look at you- you don't deserve to exist._

 _It's not my fault!_ Boom Bloom begged to them. _I didn't choose to be like this!_

She pushed past a thicket of bushes and vines, and she suddenly found herself tumbling down a steep incline that the foliage had hidden. Up and over Boom Bloom felt herself go, until she finally reached the bottom. Her arms and legs were scuffed up, her clothes tattered, and she felt an open cut on the side of her cheek. She touched a hand to it, finding a kind of green blood ooze out. Normal plants didn't bleed like that- Boom Bloom didn't think that they bled at all.

That thicket seemed to sneer, _Watch where you step, little mutant! Ha ha!_

Boom Bloom slowly picked herself up, her limbs aching from the fall. She looked up to see someone else in this jungle with her. It was a tall tree-like man, with a pointed snout-like face. He wore black-and-gold armor, a golden belt tied around the waist. Was he an ent? No, ents were something different. But he was still a plant, and she didn't want to have a sentient plant mock her with the rest of this jungle.

"Little girl, are you alright?" the tree man asked.

Boom Bloom stood up to her full height, staggering a bit. "I'm fine," she replied.

The tree man stepped closer to her, looking her over. "You sure? That fall looked pretty bad," he added. "You have cuts all over."

"I've suffered worse. What does it matter?"

The tree man looked back to the thicket he came out of. "Guess it doesn't," he shrugged. "Just worried, I guess."

Boom Bloom felt something inside of her come up, though what it was, she wasn't sure- emotions were new for her, and they'd all made herself known to her without allowing her to sort them out. She guessed that she couldn't believe the man's statement. He'd been worried about her? He hadn't been there to scorn her?

The tree man slowly turned away, walking back to whence he came. He took his time, contemplating whether or not he should just leave her there. Boom Bloom had the sudden desire not to see him go. He'd been nice to her- who would ever be like that again?

"Wait!" she shouted.

The tree man halted, turning his attention back to her. "Yes?" he asked.

Boom Bloom staggered forward, nearly stumbling down as she tried to come to him. The tree man hurried to her side, holding her to help keep her from falling. She quickly wrapped her arms around him, finding herself pouting as she buried her face in his shoulder. She'd figured out what the thing inside her had been- loneliness. She didn't want to stumble around in the jungle alone anymore.

"I'm sorry for crying," Boom Bloom choked out. "You don't even know me, and I'm acting like this, and-"

"Don't worry. It's okay," the tree man promised. "Have you been alone for a long time?"

"Mm hmm."

"This is what bothers you?"

"...Don't leave me out here."

The tree man suddenly picked her up, carrying her through the jungle. "I have friend close by," he continued. "We are currently on important mission. You can stick with us."

Boom Bloom's eyes widened in surprise. "Th-thank you," she gasped. "My name's Boom Bloom, by the way."

"I'm Ambush."

The two of them came upon a little camp set up in the jungle. A woman was there, stoking a little fire. Her armor had the same black-and-gold color scheme as Ambush's, even with the belt, though hers was more like a dress. She had a tail-like flame instead of legs, which moved when she did. A helmet was set on her head, with a fire piece on the front.

"Ember, how does the path look?" Ambush shouted.

The woman, Ember, moved away from the fire and grabbed a map from a bag near their tent, studying it and noting, "From the point we're at now, we should be only a day away from those Arkeyan ruins."

"What about food rations?"

Ember opened the bag further, counting the items inside. "We should be good for a few days, but it's the return trip we should be worried about," she continued. "I think there's a village nearby where we can restock, though timing is a bit iffy. Of course, we could just have the Portal Master send us home-"

"Is there enough for three?"

Ember looked up for the first time, noticing Boom Bloom with him. She left the bag and floated over to them. "Who's this?" she wondered.

"This is Boom Bloom," Ambush explained. "She's sticking with us."

Boom Bloom was set back onto the ground. She looked up at Ember, suddenly feeling nervous around the two of them. She'd impeded on their work, hadn't she? What was Boom Bloom thinking anyway, inserting herself into their camp?

"I'm sorry if I'm of any trouble," Boom Bloom quickly stated.

"Oh no, it's fine," Ember insisted, though her hesitation at this arrangement was quite clear. "There...there should be enough food for the three of us if we grit our teeth, though I think we should make a stop at that village tomorrow, before we do anything else. Ambush...she's not coming into the ruins with us, is she?"

"Not sure yet," Ambush admitted. "But she can't stay out here alone."

Ember nodded meekly. "Well, Boom Bloom, you can stay in my tent tonight," she decided. "We'll start off in the morning."

* * *

Boom Bloom felt much better about traveling in the jungle with Ember and Ambush. If there was a vine in her path, Ambush would move it for her. If they were crossing through a wide river, Ember would carry her over. Boom Bloom helped them out, too, of course. She carried the bag of supplies for them, aware that they had enough on their hands. It was the least she could do.

Nearing the village, a kind of whirring sound stopped them in their tracks. Ember and Ambush dropped what they were carrying and pulled out weapons, Ambush wielding a mighty sword, and Ember holding dual-blades. Boom Bloom wasn't sure what to think, so she followed their lead and dropped what she was carrying as well, pulling out her thorny whip. The whirring sound grew closer and closer, filling the air with dread.

A swarm of strange metallic creatures emerged to their left, claws clacking menacingly, blades whirring as they tore down vines and branches. That action alone made Boom Bloom's blood boil in rage. What were these abominations, and what right did they have to tear up the forest like that?!

Ambush was the first to attack, slicing his blade through the red-and-orange metal of the leading creature. The others charged at Ember, though she made quick work of them with her spinning blade technique. Boom Bloom herself charged at several of the creatures herself, entangling them with her whip and slamming them into the largest tree trunk. One leapt into the air to attack her, but she quickly caught it with the glint it made in the sun, and promptly choked it out with sticky pollen from her bulbs. More metallic creatures charged after her, but she knelt to the ground and created briar traps to hold them in place.

There didn't seem to be more metallic creatures coming for them after that- she must've trapped the last bunch! Boom Bloom wrapped her whip around them all, tightening it harder and harder and listening to the strange popping sound that came from it.

 _Yes, you have no right to tamper with these woods. You have no right to bring your evil here!_

She found herself glancing over to Ember and Ambush. They had put away their weapons and were watching her, eyes glazed over in shock. Or maybe...fear? Were they afraid of her like everyone else was? Like what she was created to do? Boom Bloom loosened her grip on the whip, ceasing her attack.

"I was just...I mean...I'm sorry," Boom Bloom muttered.

"Such passion and ferocity," Ember gasped. "I haven't seen anything like it in a while."

And then the two of them walked past her, picking up the supplies they had dropped. Boom Bloom stayed where she was, arms wrapped around her torso as she shivered in fear. She'd acted the way a monster would act. She'd mercilessly attacked those creatures like a savage beast. That wasn't the way a plant acted. Heck, it wasn't the way a proper creature acted either. She wasn't even better than the things that had attacked them.

"Ugh, that's the fifth robot horde we've fought on this mission," Ember sighed, rubbing a temple with her finger.

"Or perhaps the same horde?" Ambush wondered. "I have funny feeling that we've fought those ones before."

"Why would you...? Well, now that I think about it, they looked similar to the last few robots we had to deal with as well. Are you thinking that whatever's in those ruins is repairing and reanimating them?"

"You know mission statement. Robots reactivate in this area, so we must find ruins."

"Reactivation is one thing, Ambush. But if you destroy a machine, it stops working. Period. You said yourself that we might've fought those ones before, so maybe it's more than an artifact that we need to find."

Their conversation ended right there, neither one sure what more to add. Ember floated over to Boom Bloom, handing her the bag she'd dropped. "Hey, good job," she smiled.

"No it wasn't!" Boom Bloom yelled. "It was atrocious!"

Ember stammered, then looked back at the robots entangled in the vines. "Oh! I didn't mean what I said in a negative light," she insisted. "Fury is a powerful element in battle if used right."

"Your skills need work, but not bad," Ambush added.

Boom Bloom relaxed her stance a bit. "So I...didn't do anything wrong?"

"Not at all," Ember promised her. "You actually reminded me a bit of Ambush over here. At least when we first started out. Now why don't we head to that village, then?"

Ember led the way, heading past the trees. Boom Bloom was quick on her heels, suddenly feeling a bit better about her situation.

* * *

 _There was a tower that was hopefully not too far away, one that looked to be in horrible condition. No, that was just how the mad doctor wanted it. He prided himself on telling his experiments again and again about his unique and ingenious floor plan. It was just so obnoxious and annoying, just like he was. And yet, those were his better traits._

 _Dr. Krankcase was sinister, ruthless and abusive to his subjects. He kept his experiments locked in cages, giving them tests and quizzes whenever he felt like it. Those tests could be ones of the mind, or physical labor that they had to endure. Boom Bloom had only been thankful enough to have been blessed with unnatural fighting abilities to help her get through those. She seemed to be the doctor's favorite because of it, and often went easier on her- all the more reason for her to despise herself._

 _Though the fact was, every plant in that tower had strange new abilities from their mutation. They were all abnormally smart, and many of them had physical traits that differed from plant to plant but helped them get by nonetheless. They were all unnatural freaks, and when they could, they took solace in one another's company. Boom Bloom remembered the stories they told each other, of dandelions that chronicled the world through their offspring, of how the cacti outsmarted the desert heat, and of how generous the nepenthes in the rainforests were by offering water to the birds. She remembered one she told of a milkweed and a caterpillar, and how happy her cage neighbor seemed to hear it._

 _But the majority of stories that they told each other were of freedom and revolution, gathered from books they snuck away during tests. Stories of how Giants liberated the world from metallic overlords. Stories of how beetles defended their home from attackers that wanted to abuse them. Stories of how the clans in Cloudbreak broke away from the massive islands trying to take advantage of them. Those stories gave them all the impression that they could be more than mutants. That they had a right to exist as they are now. That they had a right not to be taken advantage of like they were now._

 _It had only happened a month ago, but they started their own revolution. It began when Dr. Krankcase opened the cage next to Boom Bloom's, hoping to drag the mutant out for his test. The mutant refused, landing a blow to his nose that knocked him off his wooden spider legs. He'd gotten to work tying the doctor up, stealing his key and quickly opening the other cages. The mutant was almost onto Boom Bloom's cage when a whistle emerged from the doctor's lips. Wooden creatures ran into the room where they were locked up, primed for attack. Boom Bloom was familiar with those things- "Evilikens" by the doctor, "Corpses" by the mutants._

 _The freed mutants were immediately on their feet, fighting off the Evilikens and buying their rebel leader time to free everyone else. It was an epic battle, vines and pollen and wood flying across the room and floating in the air. The rebel leader was snatched up by an Eviliken, dropping his key. Boom Bloom tried to grab him, but was unable to pull strong enough and only managed to deliver a vine to him. She slid the key across the room, where it was picked up by a caged mutant for her to free herself. Boom Bloom was prepared to leave her cage, to join the fight, but things suddenly changed for the worst._

 _Dr. Krankcase had managed to free himself, quickly jumping up and attacking them. His goo gun launched a barrage of the sticky green stuff at them, trapping them in place and ending the battle. Boom Bloom collected a pollen spore from her bulb, hiding it behind her back. She knew what was coming next. She couldn't do anything else just yet, or else they'd trap her too and the rebellion would end._

 _"Heh heh, and I thought I could control you," Dr. Krankcase muttered, his face appearing to be weary from their actions. "I wanted more intelligent minions, but I guess I made you too smart. We'll have to start from square one, but don't worry, I wouldn't want the progress made on you to go to waste."_

 _He quickly encased them all in goo, sticking it up to their necks and trapping them like that. Boom Bloom gasped, horrified by what was happening. The Evilikens picked them up, carrying them downstairs. In all this confusion, they had neglected to do anything to her._

 _Dr. Krankcase silently counted the mutants as each of them was set in the basement, pausing as he realized that one was missing. He looked over and noticed that Boom Bloom had not gotten out of her cage. "Hey, come out slowly," he told her._

 _She did, crawling as slowly as possible. Boom Bloom stood to her feet, head bowed slightly, hands clasped and concealing the pollen spore. Dr. Krankcase walked over to her, studying her over._

 _"You're the only one who didn't participate in this debacle, huh?"_

 _Nod._

 _"Maybe you didn't like the commotion."_

 _No comment._

 _"Why don't we make a deal? Follow everything I say from this point onward, and you don't have to be locked up with the others. The rest of the Doom Raiders might even let you accompany us on raids. Sound good?"_

 _Nod._

 _Dr. Krankcase turned away from her. "Okay, let me do another count," he told the Evilikens._

 _He was focused on counting the mutants again, allowing Boom Bloom to open the lid on the goo vial that supplied his guns, dropping the pollen spore inside. She watched as the spore dissolved, turning the goo an ugly gray color. Seizing the opportunity, Boom Bloom shoved him in the back, sending him to the ground. She brought her thorny whip out, throwing it around the room and slamming the Evilikens against the wall. To her horror, the basement door had slammed shut before she could do anything about it._

 _Boom Bloom hurried over to the door while the Evilikens were down, trying the doorknob, finding that it wouldn't budge. Something wet and slimy shot at her, and the gray sludge dripped down her arm- slimy maybe, but not sticky in the slightest._

 _"Little brat!" Dr. Krankcase shouted._

 _Boom Bloom then slammed her body into the door, trying to bust inside. She landed a kick at the bottom, managing to break through, but not without pain firing up her leg._

 _"I can't get it open!" she shouted. "What does it look like over there?"_

 _A mutant's face popped up through the hole. "They reinforced it over here," he explained. "Nothing but the winds of a hurricane are going to bust through."_

 _Nothing but that? But..._

 _"Boom Bloom, you have to go. Get out of the tower and don't look back."_

 _"No!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I can't leave you guys behind!"_

 _"We'll figure something out on our end, I promise. But if you don't get out, then we really would have failed today."_

 _She wasn't sure if she believed him, but she had to take this chance at escape. Boom Bloom rushed through the room, slipping past the Evilikens trying to attack her, fear and dread and self-loathing growing in her heart._

* * *

She suddenly felt someone shaking her awake. Boom Bloom bolted upright, her heart racing from the nightmare/memory. Right, that event was over. At this moment, she and Ambush were sitting on a bench in the village, waiting for Ember to get back from wherever she had wanted to go. She insisted that they needed a few more supplies, even though Ambush insisted that they'd gathered everything they needed for the return trip back, and...well, it was all a blank after that.

"How long was I asleep for?" Boom Bloom muttered, rubbing an eye.

"A few minutes at most," Ambush suggested.

"Oh. Felt like two days."

This sent the tree man into a fit of giggles. "Yes, certainly feels that way," he agreed. "Ember should be back soon, though."

Boom Bloom was surprised that they didn't go after Ember. She and Ambush were concerned with making sure everyone was safe, and that included ensuring that no one went off alone, especially in the jungle. Or maybe they were going to, but they didn't want to rush their drowsy little mutant. Indeed, her apprehension couldn't have gone unnoticed by them. Elves populated this village, and they all looked at her curiously whenever she passed them, aware that she wasn't a natural-born plant person- elves were very perceptive about that. They probably decided that she needed a break from walking among people all day, then.

"Do you have nightmares often?" Ambush asked.

"Y-yeah, how did you guess?" Boom Bloom replied.

"Since we brought you along, I've noticed you whimpering in your sleep a lot. It's something my other friends do, and I've been told I do it as well. You were doing it just now."

No comment.

"Does it have to do with why you were alone in jungle?"

"...It might."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Boom Bloom so desperately wanted to. She wanted to lay it all out on him, expressing the pain she felt. It was just...not possible, though. He and Ember had already gone through enough trouble for her, and it would be too much. And if that wasn't the case, they would readily turn on her if she told them that she was a mutant and abomination. A monster that had to be destroyed.

She shook her head no.

Ambush looked at her for a moment, eyes casting a sympathetic glow. He turned his head away, muttering, "Okay. But I'm here if you decide you want to."

Oh, he really was too nice.

They watched as Ember scooted around a crowd of gabbing elves, being careful with the plastic bag in her arms. She floated back to them, the widest grin on her face. She was appearing more cheerful than she had been these past few days. Ember handed the bag over to Boom Bloom, waiting around for her to open it.

"Um...," Boom Bloom stammered.

"Go on, you don't need my approval," Ember replied.

Boom Bloom opened the bag, digging out two pieces of apparel. One was a typical pair of jeans, and the other was a lilac button-up shirt with a felt rose patch on the left pocket. They were both about her size, and they looked nicer than her old gray shirt and slacks- both of which looked as if they were falling apart by now.

She looked up at Ember, who gave a sheepish shrug. "I felt kind of bad for you in those rags, and I saw those in the store window when we first came here, so I figured, 'why not'?" she explained.

Boom Bloom quickly shoved the items back at her. "Oh no, this is way too nice!" she argued. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you!"

"It was my pleasure, honestly."

"But I really should do something to pay you back for everything you've done for me! I'll set up the tents, I'll prepare dinner tonight, I'll...I'll..."

Ember's solemn countenance returned, and she crossed her arms in contemplation. "I was thinking you could come into the ruins with us, but...Ambush, I think we need to talk again."

She pulled the tree man away, and they went behind a small house to talk. Boom Bloom shifted the weight on her feet a couple times, antsy about what to do next. She decided to listen in on them, and hid behind the wall close to where they were. Boom Bloom looked behind the corner and studied their movements, noting how they were trying to stay inconspicuous- likely for her sake- but they ended up being loud enough for the gabbing elves to hear them.

"I remember you were cautious about bringing her along before," Ambush noted.

Ember placed her hands on her hips. "I know, and I still am," she sighed. "I don't even know why I brought it up. Maybe because I thought she could handle herself? I mean, you saw her fight, too."

"Yes, but Boom Bloom is...she's behaving impulsively. I don't know if she's trying to please us, or make up for something she thinks she did, but it shows in the way she talks with us. Haven't you noticed it?"

Ember relaxed her stance, biting her lip.

"Yes, she can fight, but she probably doesn't know how to control that fury yet. I don't want her running headfirst into those ruins, coming across dangers that she finds herself incapable of handling."

"So what should we do? Just make her wait outside for us? Maybe we could tell her she's going to be on lookout for us. Oh, but...what if something attacks her outside?"

Ambush ran a hand through his grassy hair. "I was thinking we should call King Pen and have him send backup."

Ember clenched her fists at her sides. "Out of the question! I told him we could handle this on our own, and I'm not going to back out of it!"

"Things are different now. It is no longer just the two of us. We have someone else who needs the protection of the Skylanders, too."

They were tearing themselves up over her. Boom Bloom couldn't stand it. She was causing them so much trouble. Well, why didn't she just go away, then? All of their problems would be solved if she just did that.

Boom Bloom snuck away from the wall. She slowly stepped back near the bench, making sure they didn't notice her. Ensuring that they were quite distracted, Boom Bloom rushed down the street, leaving the bench, bag, and two allies behind.

* * *

There was no delaying it now. She needed to go back for the other mutants. She didn't care if Dr. Krankcase and his minions overpowered her. She needed to free her friends somehow.

But as she wandered the jungle as sunset cast its gaze, Boom Bloom realized that she had lost it. She didn't know the path she'd taken to get out here, nor the one that was needed to lead her back to the tower. It was all wrong! She couldn't find the way back!

A vine wrapped itself around her bulb, and it took a great tug to set her free. "Oh, let me help with that," Ambush used to say. It had made Boom Bloom feel better not to have to be alone with that. Near that stupid vine, she found a large river, one that looked extremely wide, and there was no way to tell how deep it was. Boom Bloom recalled how she told Ember that she couldn't swim, and Ember had replied, "Don't worry, I can carry you across here." She missed them both so much. She wanted to go back for them, apologize for running off, and maybe have friends in this world again.

No. It was better like this. They weren't suffering as much without her around.

Boom Bloom spotted one of those strange robots standing idly by. It just floated in one spot, immobile, probably unaware of the mutant's presence. She wandered close to it, and then spotted another robot near by. She walked by that one, and spotted yet another one. There were robots making a line up somewhere, leading to someplace. Boom Bloom followed this line, aware of the possible dangers of doing so and yet still lured to it. She ended up in a strange clearing, near some kind of ancient temple covered in vines. Was this the place Ember and Ambush had been looking for? Why did that feel right?

Boom Bloom heard an angry voice, and strange beeping from the back of the temple. She rushed over to that spot, discovering a frightening scene. There was a robot, gray-and-green and much larger than the ones she'd found, tied to a post. Something was clamped onto its chest, pulsating with electrical energy. An elf was standing near a strange box, metal clamps in his hands. The elf's attire looked almost as ragged as her old clothes, though his maniacal smirk made it clear that he was a technical genius.

"I'll ask again, robot," the elf growled. "There was a gang of villains around here, piloting an airship. You were seen near them, so you must've been helping them get out. Now tell me where they're going."

The robot closed its glowing blue eye, shaking its head.

"Alrighty then."

The elf put the clamps on the box. The robot was alight with white sparks, emanating a loud shrieking sound that forced Boom Bloom to cover her ears. The robot's shrieking was filled with so much agony that her heart ached for it. That was the scream of a human creature, a feeling creature, one that came from someplace different than those other robots. The elf soon took the clamps off the box, asking the same question.

Boom Bloom rushed into action. She threw her whip at the elf, pulling him away from the box. The elf went to attack her, but she trapped him with vines. As he struggled to get out, she ran over to the post, undoing the binding around the robot.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through this," she told it. "I promise it's going to be okay, though."

The robot beeped a few times, reminiscent of chirping birds.

"You...you can't speak, can you?"

The robot shook its head.

"He can't even speak!" Boom Bloom yelled at the elf. "What's the matter with you!?"

"What's the matter with you?" the elf spat, his face contorted in a frown. "And what are you, like nine? I don't think a little girl has any right attacking me."

"Answer the question."

"Alright! The Trap Masters are paying for information on the Doom Raiders, you know. One hundred for basic info, and an extra twenty for locations. I want the full bounty."

The binding fell away, allowing the robot to take the clamp off its chest.

"He saw them last," the elf continued. "I need to know where they're going."

"It's not exactly civil to hold someone against their will," Boom Bloom groaned, fists clenched.

A familiar whirring sound was heard around them, and they discovered that the robots were creeping up on them. They weren't in attack formation, and all eyes seemed to be on the strange box. They were drawn to it, yearning to come close.

"Oh, these things," the elf grumbled. "They've been coming after my power core for weeks. They get hostile when people step close to this place."

A power core. So that explained it. "How do we turn it off!?" Boom Bloom shouted.

"Let me out and I'll do it."

That sounded too much like a ploy for escape. She didn't go for it.

She instead ran toward the power core, only for the robot to hold her back. It threw the clamp at the box, and a strange force from it pushed the item far into the sky, where it vanished without a trace. There was a force inside the power core, however it worked, that allowed it to protect itself that way. The robot set Boom Bloom behind it, and it shot a bluish-white laser from its eye to try and destroy the power core. The move didn't last long, as the robot collapsed to its knees, and the power core barely had a scratch on it.

"Oh no, that thing must've sapped your energy," Boom Bloom gasped.

The robot let out a few more beeps, staggering to its feet.

The other robots were suddenly lured away from the area, distracted by something else. Dread filling her gut, Boom Bloom rushed after them, tightly holding her thorn whip. She ran back into the trees, finding Ember and Ambush engaging in battle against the robots. Trapping them all in vines, she halted in front of the two, panting heavily.

"Oh my gosh, Boom Bloom!" Ember shrieked, nearly dropping her dual-blade. "Where did you go!? We were so worried about you!"

"I found the cause of this!" Boom Bloom shouted, pointing behind her. "The temple's over there, and there's a power core right outside! We need to turn it off right now!"

She ran back to the temple, Ember and Ambush following after her. The elf was sitting there, trying to gnaw his way out of his vine trap. The gray-and-green robot was staggering forward to the box, prepared to fire another laser. Boom Bloom shouted after it, warning it out of doing so. Ambush ran toward the power core, sword in hand.

"This is larger than what any archaeologist has found," he gasped. "Where was this found?"

"Let me out and I'll turn it off for you, for Pete's sake," the elf spat.

"Don't do it!" Boom Bloom argued. "He was hurting this robot here! He can't be trusted."

Ambush put his sword away. "No matter. I'm familiar with how to work these."

He set his hand on the power core, shocking Boom Bloom since it didn't push him away. Ambush tapped on the top, causing a hole to open up. He then set his hand in it, pulling up a strange lever. All of the robots powered by the device fell to the ground, dropping like rag dolls. Ember had slashed a few during this debacle, and they didn't come back up. Boom Bloom felt her heart race in her chest from the adrenaline, though it was slowly going back to normal.

"Ember, call King Pen and tell him to pick us up," Ambush announced. "And let him know we found the artifact causing this."

Ember nodded, heading out to get a signal.

"Wait, you're taking my power core?" the elf gasped, struggling in his binding. "You don't get to do that! It's mine! I found it fair and square!"

Ember looked behind her shoulder, brow raised. "And where exactly did you find it?"

No comment.

"Something tells me that it's better if we have it."

The robot fell to its knees again. Boom Bloom made a move to help it up, but discovered that it had lowered its head far down to her feet before raising it back up. It had no difficulty in standing up, either, meaning that the move was intentional. That was a full-blown bow, wasn't it?

"You're welcome," Boom Bloom muttered.

The robot waved her goodbye before hurrying off into the trees, disappearing somewhere in the jungle. Boom Bloom gave a wave of her own, and suddenly found Ambush hugging her from behind. She stiffened up, guilty for leaving then behind in the village.

"You don't get to leave without telling us," Ambush growled sternly. "Without telling us what you want. We searched the village for you. We searched the jungle for you, too. We were so worried that you'd gotten hurt out there. It was the only thing on our minds, and the mission didn't feel important anymore. So tell us now, what do you want?"

It suddenly clicked for her. They literally didn't care if she was causing them trouble. They didn't care if she needed help. For whatever reason, they'd grown fond of her and were willing to do anything for her.

"I...I want to be by your side," Boom Bloom decided. "I want to become a warrior like you two. I want to find my friends, but I can't imagine doing that on my own. I want...I want to stay with you. So if you don't think I'm too much trouble, can you take me with you?"

Ambush nodded, releasing her from his grasp. "You have a home with us," he promised her.

* * *

Ember described an extraction point for them at the edge of the island, to which they were headed next. They traveled through the jungle one night, pondering their new situation. Boom Bloom carried the power core, finding that her feet were aching from walking so much. Ambush agreed that they should set up camp for the night, and set his supplies down in order to do so.

"So Boom Bloom, you'll start out with us as a student," Ember began. "We can help you hone your fury for battle, and train you in different techniques of fighting. Not to mention a basic education, complete with...are you even listening?"

Boom Bloom sat on the ground, head set on the power core. She nodded in response to Ember's question, but she found that her eyes were rather heavy.

"Yeah, I'm getting kind of tired myself," Ember agreed, sitting next to her. "And you haven't been sleeping all that well, I've noticed."

"You said something about training?" Boom Bloom muttered.

"Yes, but it's not important right now. Is something the matter?"

Boom Bloom tapped her finger on the device. "I was just thinking...well, if it turned out that I wasn't a natural creature in this world, one that might be considered a monster...would you still want me around?"

"Were you thinking about that when you snuck away from us?"

"Maybe."

"You don't have anything to worry about, we promise."

A hand patted her head, and Boom Bloom noticed that Ambush had come up next to them. His eyes held a warm affection within them, agreeing with Ember's statement. He added, "Whether it be a monster or warrior, that's something you get to decide for yourself."

The chance to decide for herself, huh? Boom Bloom's eyes watered a bit, and she wiped it away. "That's something I've always hoped for myself."


	42. Slam Bam: Portal Masters

Chapter Forty-Two: Portal Masters

 _Everything Slam Bam had held dear had been taken away from him._

 _A large laser had cut through his glacier, melting everything in its path. The ice sculptures he had made were cut down. The ice floes he surfed on were decimated. The snow cone boxes he'd stacked up were crushed. He would be the next victim of this attack if he didn't find a way to get off._

 _Slam Bam rushed through the glacier, just hairs away from getting caught in the melting snow and ice. He narrowly leapt onto an ice floe, gripping onto the icicles as the force of the attack pushed him away. On the ice floe he would stay, soaring through the skies, just floating..._

A shaking in the ground woke Slam Bam. He was immediately on his feet, his heart pounding and his body trembling. That dream always stuck with him, no matter how far away he got from his destroyed home. Slam Bam took a look around, taking in the strange sights. His ice floe was a lot smaller than it had been, affected by the summer heat. In the beginning, it had been big enough to carry maybe three of him, but now the icicles were gone, and the ice floe didn't even seem big enough to hold one of him. But it didn't seem to matter, as the shaking he'd felt turned out to be a collision with a larger, more sturdy land mass. Odd foliage marked the land, as well as a tall building a few feet away, and he could hardly tell how tall it was.

Slam Bam stepped off of the ice floe, and onto the squishy green land. He found himself a bit weary, his head throbbing and his tongue swollen in his dry mouth. This heat wasn't good for a yeti such as himself, and chomping on ice as he had been wouldn't quench his thirst in the long run. He needed water, plain and simple, so he trudged along in order to find some. Slam Bam didn't get far before he sensed danger afoot.

Several creatures scattered the area ahead, chatting or fighting with one another. They were all alerted to his presence, and soon they were walking up to see him. Slam Bam felt sick to his stomach- what did these things want, and how violent were they? He took up a fighting stance, gritting his teeth in anger, puffing himself up to become more imposing.

"Whoa, settle down there, friend," a fish-like creature warned him, slowly picking up a strange harpoon weapon. "We don't want any trouble."

"I certainly hope not," Slam Bam growled. "I can take you all on, and I'm prepared to do it as well."

Cackling erupted from a shark-like creature. "I'd like to see you try," he scoffed. "Things are getting pretty boring around here."

The fish creature glared at him. "Knock it off, Terrafin," he sighed.

"C'mon, he's clearly bluffing! We have nothing to worry about with him! I'll take him on, even!"

Slam Bam pounded his four fists together, enraged at his words. "Come and face me, then!" he shouted.

Terrafin put up his fists, smirking with glee. Slam Bam launched at him, his attack blocked by the shark creature's arms. The shark launched a punch at him, which he dodged by just a hair. He grabbed Terrafin and slammed him into the ground, placing a blue foot on his chest. Terrafin grabbed his leg, flipping him off and burrowing beneath the ground. Slam Bam created a thick sheet of ice beneath his feet- it wasn't as strong as he'd like, given his dehydration, but it still served its purpose as a shield. The shark couldn't break through right away, focusing on scratching at the ice. Slam Bam stepped away, watching as Terrafin finally emerged. He created another ice wall as the shark charged at him, plunging his fist onto the hard surface. The yeti landed a fist square on his nose, knocking him onto the ground.

"Anyone else want a piece of me!?" Slam Bam yelled.

Terrafin stood up, swinging his arm about in order to stretch it. He wiped the blood dripping from his nose, the smirk refusing to fade. "I'm not finished, yeti," he dared him.

Slam Bam growled between bouts of panting, lifting his fists up once more. Their battle didn't continue, however, because a harpoon shot at the ground between the two of them. The fish creature held his weapon up threateningly, warning the both of them to back off. Slam Bam and Terrafin relaxed their stances, but kept glaring at each other.

"Knock it off, both of you," the fish creature spat. "I'm sure no one here wants trouble. Now friend, what did you want from us?"

Slam Bam crossed his top arms, letting his lower ones sag on the ground. "I can find it on my own," he insisted. "I'd like for you to leave me be."

The fish creature lowered his weapon, his expression lightening up. "We can do that," he decided. "Just make sure that your visit doesn't bring any more trouble."

Slam Bam nodded, walking away from them. He continued on his quest for water, hopeful that no one would bother him anymore.

* * *

Slam Bam found a pond nearby, its waters sparkling in the midday sun. He spent most of his time here, slowly drinking from it and snarling at the small creatures trying to get a drink. This was his pond, and he wouldn't let anyone have it.

His thirst quenched, he decided to walk around some more, trying to make out his surroundings. Any creatures he came across quickly stepped out of his way, aware of his stance around them. Slam Bam returned to the location of his ice floe, discovering that it had disappeared altogether. So he was definitely stuck here for the time being- though he didn't need the ice floe to tell him that. Slam Bam decided that he couldn't stay here forever, though where he wanted to go was a bigger question.

Maybe the tall building held the answer to that question.

So Slam Bam wandered over there. At this point in time, the creatures were getting a bit more curious about him, stepping close enough to get a look. He became fearful once again, keeping his distance from them until he made his way to the building. He stood just a few feet away from the entrance, frightened to see two creatures standing outside in front of it. One of them was a light blue quadruped, large wings on her back. The other was a horned creature with a long beard and blue robe. That horned creature made Slam Bam queasy in his gut, and he suddenly remembered that the force that had destroyed his home appeared to have similar soft skin.

"Your wing is fine, Whirlwind," the bearded creature said softly, patting the winged creature on the head. "I felt through it for anything out of place. There are no breaks or fractures to be had. You probably just stretched it too far on that last landing."

The creature, Whirlwind, nodded. "Yeah, and it doesn't hurt as much anymore," she added. "Thank you for checking. I think I'll go now."

"Hang on a moment. Is there anything else you want to talk about? You seemed rather worried about this."

Whirlwind tapped her claws on the ground. "I've always been flying. I've been flying from the moment I learned how to. There is nothing that gives me a greater feeling of freedom than that. But sometimes I fear losing my ability to fly. What would become of me if that happened?"

"You're strong of mind and heart. Whatever happens, you'll face it like you do everything else. And remember that you have friends here who can help you if you need it. We'll find another way, no matter what."

"We'd figure out another way for me to fly, if I lost that ability?"

"Of course. And remember, through everything here, you're not alone."

Whirlwind smiled, getting up and stepping away. "Thank you, Master Eon. I'll remember that," she concluded.

Slam Bam watched as she ran off, heading to different parts of the land mass. He found himself curious of the bearded creature. This one seemed nicer than the one that had attacked him. This creature had wanted to heal rather than damage. It was certainly strange.

The creature, Master Eon, waved at Slam Bam. "Hello there," he greeted him. "You must be the one that caused a stir at our Citadel earlier today. What might your name be?"

Slam Bam created an ice shield, feeling braver about talking to him like this. "Slam Bam," he grumbled. "Are you a Portal Master?"

"Why yes. Why do you ask?"

Slam Bam looked at the ground, brow furrowed in confusion. "I've heard tales of Portal Masters. Seen one. You can't be one," he argued. "They steal and destroy, holding no remorse for anyone or anything."

"I am the last good Portal Master, responsible for guiding the Skylanders here, as well as keeping Skylands safe from the Darkness. Not that I don't understand your confusion. What other tales to the yeti clans describe?"

"Not sure. None stayed at my home for long. Better that way. I prefer solitude."

"You don't have a clan?"

Slam Bam shook his head.

"You seem a bit young to be on your own, though. How did you end up like that?"

"Don't remember. Don't care."

"Yes, and you seemed uncomfortable with the crowds earlier, according to Gill Grunt. It's important to mind my Skylanders. Their bonds are strong, and they often flock together when searching for new things on this island. Anyway, what brings you here, aside from challenging them to random fights on the grass?"

This Master Eon seemed really nice. Slam Bam looked at his eyes, noting a soft warmth to them. He looked like he genuinely wanted to help him. Slam Bam slowly stepped out from the ice wall, hands clasped nervously. "I'm lost. I'm far from where my old home was, and I have no idea where I am," he stammered. "My coming here was an accident."

"Where is your old home?" Master Eon asked.

"Don't know. Doesn't matter- it's gone now."

"You're not hurt at all, are you?"

"Don't think so. I might be a bit weak from the way I was traveling, but I think I'm okay."

"You must be pretty scared, huh?"

He wouldn't admit to it, no matter how true it was. "Are you going to help me?" Slam Bam asked.

Master Eon nodded. "We'll help you build your strength back up, and then we can figure out where to place you in a new home. You have nothing to worry about here."

Slam Bam nodded.

"Let's figure out where you're going to stay, then."

* * *

A sliver of light hit Slam Bam in the face the next morning, rousing him from sleep. He could hardly recall the events of the previous day- his arrival to this Citadel, his tussle with the "Dirt Shark" person, his meeting with the fake Portal Master. He was still sure that the Portal Master couldn't really want anything good from this deal they made.

But so far, nothing bad had come from it. Slam Bam had been given a small flat on the higher levels of the Citadel, allowing him to have as much space as he wanted. He had enjoyed looking out the window as well, pointing out the shapes of the clouds that seemed to hover by the tower. The room was empty, save for a large cushy cot that Slam Bam currently laid in. The cot was soft and warm, much more comfy than any of the ice burrows he'd dug himself. He thought that he could spend all day on it.

So Slam Bam turned away from the window, his cheek hitting a damp spot his mouth had made earlier. (Discovered after jumping awake from a loud noise that turned out to be a Skylander dropping something.) Why not spend the day on that cushy cot? He was given time to recuperate after all.

He heard excited footsteps run down the hallway. Slam Bam cracked an eye open, watching as the Dirt Shark stopped in front the doorway. His jagged teeth grinned with glee, and he simply hovered by the frame. Slam Bam grumbled, burying his face in the cot. He knew he should've locked the door last night.

"What was your name, again?" Slam Bam muttered.

"Terrafin," the Dirt Shark replied.

"Right, right...leave me alone. Didn't the others tell you I wanted peace?"

"Don't tell me you're going to sleep through the lunch run, too?"

"Now you can't want me around just for that. You want to fight again."

"We need to pick up from yesterday."

"Do you hate me or something?"

Terrafin scoffed. "Oh no. I like you a lot. That's why I want to beat you. Everyone else here is no challenge for me."

Well at least he was wanted. "Go away. Maybe later. I want to get back to sleep now."

He heard a kick on the ground. "Hey, you think I got into this kind of shape by sleeping all day?" Terrafin growled.

Slam Bam smirked, opening an eye. "Long ago, I spent many days sleeping," he began. "And still, I sent you on your butt."

"Them's fighting words!" Terrafin shouted, raising a fist. "That does it! I'm heading outside, and you better be going after me!"

Then the Dirt Shark left. Slam Bam's eye slid closed, and he settled back into sleep.

Though it seemed he barely got a minute's worth of sleep before someone was shaking him awake. Slam Bam opened his eyes again, this time looking at the Portal Master.

"You've certainly riled up Terrafin," Master Eon giggled. "I don't believe I've ever seen him so frustrated before."

"He should be occupied waiting for me for a while," Slam Bam shrugged.

"Though he did have a point about sleeping all day. You are supposed to be building your strength back, right?"

"It's not like I'm in any hurry. I don't really have anywhere to go."

Master Eon stroked his long beard. "I suppose. And you didn't seem to have any difficulty getting to sleep last night. I was a bit worried that you'd be too scared to. I know I have trouble sleeping in strange places."

"Probably helps that this space is my own. People aren't constantly roaming the halls here."

"All of this must be pretty strange to you. To come from a place where you were alone to one where you're surrounded by people."

Slam Bam snorted.

"Perhaps we can start figuring things out for you. What do you think we need right now, at this moment?"

"Answers, maybe. On who exactly destroyed my home. It's a Portal Master, that I'm sure. The kind of power I saw was one that couldn't have been from anyone else."

Master Eon's brow furrowed in thought. "Hm, he was quiet for a while...I have a hunch, but I need to look into it."

Slam Bam nodded.

"I'd like for you to get out and do things, though. Try and get something to eat, maybe."

Footsteps came back down the hallway, and Terrafin stopped by the door frame again, fists clenched. "Hey! Come down and face me!" he yelled.

Master Eon laughed. "Perhaps you should pick up Terrafin's gauntlet before he roughs up the Citadel," he suggested.

Slam Bam sighed, getting up. "Alright, alright, let's go," he decided.

* * *

Slam Bam found himself in the mess hall the next day, hovering over a table of food. He'd been lured here that afternoon, wary of everything on the table. He'd never seen most of this food before- how could he be sure that any of it was safe?

So he brought Terrafin along to tell him.

"What's this?" Slam Bam asked, holding up a plate.

"Chicken leg," Terrafin said.

Another plate.

"Cheese slices."

Another plate.

"Pasta."

"This Citadel has a lot of food."

"There's a lot of people to feed."

Slam Bam's eyes looked at a plate, noting a pile of fried fish. He looked at this, picking the plate up. "Fish, right?"

"I don't know if you want that," Terrafin shrugged. "That's Gill Grunt's thing."

The fish man's? "Fish eats fish?"

"The big fish always eat the little fish, man. And it's not like it's fellow Gillmen on that plate."

The fish went into Slam Bam's mouth. He ate voraciously, finding it hard to recall the last time he had such a meal. How long had it been since his glacier had been destroyed? How much time had he spent on that ice floe before coming here? Slam Bam wasn't aware of actual time, just the idea of it going forward.

Maybe it was that Portal Master here. His guiding presence seemed to make everything go faster. And somehow it wasn't troubling to him. Master Eon was working to keep him happy and safe. Not to mention the other creatures here, all of whom seemed to be nice, no matter how clingy they could be.

Speaking of which, a flock of creatures was coming into the mess hall. Slam Bam stole the plate away, hurrying down the hall. He ran into the fish creature, Gill Grunt, who glared at the plate he was holding.

"Heh heh, got these for you," Slam Bam grimaced, handing him the plate.

Gill Grunt took the plate. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, I suppose," he sighed. "But that's not why I'm here."

Terrafin hurried down the hall, halting right behind the yeti. His face contorted itself in confusion as he noticed Gill Grunt's stance. "What's up? You seem worried," he asked.

"Eon wants to speak to you, Slam Bam," Gill Grunt muttered. "He says he's figured out who destroyed your home."

"What did he say?" Slam Bam muttered, hands shaking. "You look like he told you everything."

"I really don't think it's my place to say."

Slam Bam pounded an impatient fist on the ground. "Tell me."

Gill Grunt didn't seem frightened by this show, but he did relent in secrecy. "It was a Portal Master, like you suggested it might be. He appeared to be looking for ingredients of some sort, roaming around the tundra islands."

"Name?"

"Kaos."

Terrafin scoffed. "Kaos? Why, he's a nobody," he insisted. "I could take him out in one punch. Let's go right now!"

"His magic is too strong," Gill Grunt argued. "He'd flick you away with a wave of his hand. We'd need a bigger force of power to even hope on taking him on."

"Then what are we standing around for!? I'm itching for a real fight!"

Slam Bam staggered back, trying to register what he'd been told. Thoughts of his home's destruction came to mind, and his memories brought up a face. One that hovered about, in front of a floating fortress. One that declared his name, shouting about conquering the glacier.

That's right. That Portal Master had mentioned that his name was Kaos.

But it felt like Master Eon knew him more closely. As if they might be associated with one another. Like Portal Masters might be.

"Where is Master Eon now?" Slam Bam asked.

Gill Grunt looked back at him. "I can take you to him," he decided.

* * *

Gill Grunt had set Slam Bam in front of a door, stating that Master Eon was working in there. The yeti told him to leave, deciding that he had to face this on his own. Slam Bam's hand hovered over the handle. He found himself shaking, unsure of what to do. Taking a deep breath, he went a head and opened the door, stepping inside.

And then he paused again, nearly gasping at what he found.

Master Eon was there, certainly. He was hovering over a strange object, a color-changing light emitting from it. Strange markings were carved on the side, indicating different spells for it. This was a Portal. Slam Bam was sure of that. It was standing right in front of him. But...he didn't want to think about it.

"Gill Grunt told me you wanted to speak to me," Slam Bam muttered.

Master Eon turned to look at him, the troubled glanced he'd been sporting refusing to fade. "I suppose he already told you what I found," he thought.

"You can't be a Portal Master. You just can't. I can't be around another monster like that. You can't be like that!"

Master Eon sat at the edge of the Portal, saddened by this. "It's just a title. Nothing more, nothing less," he explained. "It's gotten a bit of a bad connotation, I'll admit. The Scrolls say we're supposed to do good for Skylands, to guard it as the Skylanders do. I'm the only one left who still thinks that way. Who still thinks that we need to be good-natured guardians. I am not a monster. But if you see me like that, it's not my place to argue."

Slam Bam found himself crying. No. He didn't see Master Eon as a monster. "What do you know about that monster, then?"

"Not much. I've only confronted him a few times," Master Eon shrugged. "Admittedly, the first few times we talked, I hoped we could ally ourselves, to better protect Skylands from threats. He turned my words around, saying that he did want the safety of the world- but only as a dictator."

"Did he say those words specifically?"

"He used the term 'emperor'. But dictators don't refer to themselves as dictators. Now he is an enemy, first and foremost. I want to protect Skylands, but I want to ensure that everyone is free to truly live."

Slam Bam's crying grew stronger. Eon wasn't an enemy. He knew he was happy about that. But why was he crying?

"I promised that you'd be safe here," Eon insisted. "You have nothing to worry about here. If you don't feel safe, let me know."

Slam Bam crept closer to him, trying and failing to quell the tears. "It's alright. I'm not scared to be here."

"Is it something else, then?"

"I don't...I don't know."

"What is it that you want to tell yourself?"

Slam Bam ran up to Eon, wrapping his arms around him and sobbing. "I'd watch the visitors sometimes, noting how close they seemed. Sometimes I found myself wanting something like that. I need a friend, especially out here."

"You're not wanting to stay here, are you?" Eon gasped. "I know you find it a bit crowded here. If you wanted to stay, that's fine, but I wouldn't force you to do so, especially if you're just settling on one option."

His sobbing quelled for a moment. Was that the reason for his tears, then? "You want to be my friend, right?" he whimpered. "I don't think I want to give that up. You wouldn't mind me staying here, would you?"

Eon placed a hand on his back. "If that's what you want, we don't mind," he promised him.

* * *

A few days passed after that as Slam Bam got used to his new routine. This Citadel wasn't like his old glacier, but it definitely had the warmth of a home. He wasn't quite used to the crowds, but it was getting easier for him to handle. An idea had come to mind a day before, one that Master Eon warmly accepted from him.

Slam Bam wandered to the yard early one morning, finding Terrafin training out there. He had been confused at first, noticing the Dirt Shark beating up innocent creatures- but on further inspection, they turned out to be dummies. Slam Bam tried it out, encasing one of those props in ice. Terrafin jumped, turning to face the yeti.

"Hey there," Terrafin greeted him warmly. "I heard that you were staying."

"You're happy about it," Slam Bam noted.

Terrafin shrugged, turning away. "Doesn't matter to me. Not my place to say."

"You didn't chase after me for a few days."

No comment.

Slam Bam sniggered. "You were going to miss me!"

"I said it wasn't my place to say!"

"But you're happy I'm here, right?"

Terrafin looked at him again. "Yeah," he admitted.

Slam Bam walked to the frozen dummy, using his power to shove it away- it was a move he'd wanted to try for a while. It didn't seem to have any real effect. Maybe if he put more force behind it?

"Isn't it a bit early for you, lazy bones?" Terrafin wondered.

"I thought I'd put more effort in training," Slam Bam explained. "I asked Eon to make me a warrior person here- one of you 'Skylanders'."

"Going after Kaos?"

"That's the plan. I'm nowhere near ready, though."

Terrafin crossed his arms. "Yeah you're not. You can hardly talk to people without running away. We'll need to work on that. But we have time."

"What do we do for now, then? Want to fight?"

Terrafin smirked, getting into a fighting stance. "Only if you're not too scared," he dared him.

Slam Bam got into his own fighting stance, grinning wildly. "I think you're the one who's scared!" he argued.


	43. Chain Reaction: There and Back Again

Chapter Forty-Three: There and Back Again

Chain Reaction didn't understand why King Pen was giving him off time. They'd taken on five recruits this time, and this was the time to help them acclimate to the team. There was simply no time to take off. But King Pen was stubborn, and insisted that he would refuse Chain Reaction's requests for work until he took a break. "You've already worked your butt off at that boot camp, so you deserve a break," the penguin had explained.

So he guessed that there was no way out of it.

But that didn't mean he'd actually relax. Chain Reaction camped out in the woods of the M.A.P, training with his chainsaw blades. For him, there was never time off. There was time to work, time to train, and no time to stop.

If he faltered, his craft might be lost.

There was a strange chatter out there one morning, like the gabbing of trolls. Hm, and he'd thought this region was as isolated as the Lost Islands. Chain Reaction followed the sound, finding the trolls in a devastated clearing, busy razing the trees down. Great, invaders like these were always hiding in the woods. Chain Reaction rushed out, brandishing his chainsaw blades. One troll lobbed a bomb at him, which he dodged with ease. He slashed at the bombardier, knocking him back. One larger troll grabbed him on the shoulders, but he threw him off, albeit with a bit of difficulty. Chain Reaction backed away from the group, suddenly realizing that there were a dozen trolls in this clearing. He was vastly outmatched.

Luckily, however, someone came to assist him. A tall air knight, wearing blue-and-white armor, charged into the area. He slashed his sword on the ground, creating a gust of wind that pushed the trolls back a bit. Many were laying on the ground, the wind knocked out of them, while others stood poised to attack him.

"What are you waiting for, elder?" the air knight yelled. "Get back here and fight!"

Chain Reaction ran back in, charging at a troll. Their weapons clashed, gun against blades, but Chain Reaction's weapons sawed right through the troll's. He attacked another one, knocking a bomb away towards a second group of attacking trolls. Some of the trolls were getting back up to attack the air knight, only to be knocked back down with summoned lightning. A few more ran toward the air knight, only to be forced back by a mighty roar of summoned wind. With their combined efforts, the trolls were sent running out of the clearing.

Chain Reaction sheathed his blades. "Ugh, trolls have no sense of preservation in any area," he muttered.

The air knight sheathed his large blade, setting it on his back. "They seemed to know when to run away," he noted.

"Ten bucks says they'll be back."

"How about a hundred?"

Chain Reaction glanced at a fallen tree trunk, saw marks along the bottom. "You think you could tell Ambush about this so he can go replanting the lost trees here?" he asked.

The air knight looked at him, appearing a bit weary- maybe from battle, but he didn't normally get that way. He began to walk away. "You tell him," he spat. "That's not my problem."

Ah Wildstorm, how uncooperative he wished to be. Unlike the other recruits, he hadn't been in the boot camp Chain Reaction was running. Gruff and stern, he tried his hardest not to communicate with any of the Senseis. And when it was necessary, he was very brief about what he needed.

Chain Reaction remembered how he himself had been that way. He'd been reluctant to befriend anyone in the past as well, certain that no one wanted him around. He'd tried to stay away from people, and also kept his business brief. And most of all, he hated the idea of anyone else having to do that.

So he followed Wildstorm for a bit, as silently as he could to see if he'd be noticed. The air knight seemed to notice him right away, glancing over his shoulder and glaring before turning his head back in the direction he was walking. They traveled in silence for a few minutes, and Chain Reaction noted that it wasn't in the direction of the Dojo.

"Where are you heading off to?" Chain Reaction asked.

"Back to my home," Wildstorm said brusquely.

"The Dojo's to the east of here, I'm sure."

"That's not my home. I have a little campsite far from here, and that's my place of residence."

"How far?"

"Farther from the M.A.P for certain."

Silence, but only for a moment. "Can I travel with you?" Chain Reaction followed up, hands clasped together. "I'd like to see a bit more of Skylands. Not to mention King Pen gave me off time, and I'm not sure what to spend it on."

Wildstorm didn't reply. He just kept on walking.

"Is that a no, then?"

"No."

With that, they officially began traveling together.

* * *

 _Chainsaw blade-wielding was an art form, lost to the ages as Chain Reaction lost his homeland. Their traditions, and who they were, faded as they assimilated with other metal men in the area. He decided to hold on to some of their traditions, traveling throughout Skylands as he practiced using the chainsaw blades._

 _He'd also tried making new friends at first._

 _But everyone turned out to be afraid of the chainsaw blades, and him by extension. He'd even hidden them away a couple times to see how people reacted, and they acted as if he still had them on hand._

 _Perhaps it wasn't the chainsaw blades, though?_

 _Maybe it was him?_

 _Chain Reaction kept to himself for a while, moving silently through town to town, training on his own. He turned away from everyone, even those that were curious about him. He didn't want to bother himself with trying to make friends if everyone was just going to run away from him._

 _He was wandering an ancient grove one day when he came across a strange scuffle. There was a group of dwarves camping out, but they hid away in their tents from rabid rats. The rats scoffed at them, messing with their supplies and sorting through the things they wanted to take. The dwarves poked their heads out a bit, shaking as this event occurred. Chain Reaction couldn't just stand by and let this happen. He rushed out to the rats, attacking them with his chainsaw blades. The rats scurried off, dropping the items that they had picked up._

 _Chain Reaction was about to leave, but then the dwarves came out of their tents. He expected them to chastise him, or scream at him to get away. But it turned out that they were enamored with his skill in battle. They requested that he act as their bodyguard until they got to the other end of the grove, practically begging him to come along. Chain Reaction obliged. Though he wasn't too psyched to go along with them, he couldn't just let them go off with all of the other dangers in the grove._

 _The dwarves actually made good company during this time. They were cheery and energetic, and it was hard not to get wrapped up in that attitude. Chain Reaction enjoyed the stories they told of where they were going, of a large field with plenty of space for the village they wanted to build. They held a passion for preserving the culture of their clan, which they hoped would return once their village was completed. With the recent conflicts wiping several small communities off the face of Skylands, Chain Reaction shared the sentiment._

 _So he taught them how to use the chainsaw blades as well. The proper techniques, the proper precautions, and the proper mindset. The dwarves, who were a peaceful bunch, didn't take too quickly to the idea of fighting. Chain Reaction had to teach them that conflict wasn't something that could always be avoided, and he had to convince them that he was only trying to help them by teaching them these things. After that, they seemed to catch on fairly well, and were more than competent by the time they reached their destination._

 _Confident in their abilities, Chain Reaction left them to their own devices. He hadn't seen them since, but he was sure that they'd built their village. Of course, he did find himself lonely again, longing for that same companionship._

 _But he didn't lose hope this time. He was sure that he'd find it again. And he promised himself that he would never leave anyone lonely._

* * *

The two of them walked out of the woods, coming close to the edge of the island. There were tents set up around here, with strange tentacled creatures walking through them as they carried supplies. The creatures seemed to be various shades of purple, mostly humanoid, but with moving tentacles atop their heads. They wore masks upon their faces, as if they couldn't breathe the air out here. Their clothes were ragged, but their eyes lit up with the prospect of a good outcome for them.

"I don't believe I've seen refugees like this before," Chain Reaction wondered.

"What, so it's normal for refugees to come here?" Wildstorm asked.

"It's almost expected. If the people can't find the Lost Islands, they'll come here."

"Then what's the problem?"

They couldn't just go by without asking these newcomers about their situation. Suppose they needed help, and no one was willing to offer it. Chain Reaction walked up to them, giving them a friendly wave. A male creature noticed this and walked up to him, supported by his tentacle hair in order to move quickly.

"Hello there. Would you like assistance?" Chain Reaction asked.

"This Dreadwalker clan wishes not to be bothered," the creature insisted.

Wildstorm crossed his arms. "Hear that? They don't want help. Now let's get moving," he growled.

Chain Reaction didn't reply to him. He asked again, "Perhaps there is something you wish to know. I am a native of this place, after all."

"We were informed that this was a site for refugees," the Dreadwalker man insisted. "The only natives are those long since deceased to this land. You cannot be a native."

"I suppose I worded that wrong. I meant that this was my home, and I know the layout of the land fairly well."

"Oh. Well what happened to your clan?"

Chain Reaction hadn't thought of that in a while. "Hard to say. Various wars and disasters wiped most of us out. No one else of my kind live here."

"You're not out here on your own, I hope?"

"Oh no, I have many friends here who rely on me for help. We live deep in the woods. Anyway, are you sure you don't have any questions about this place?"

The Dreadwalker man looked back at the tents, then turned his gaze toward Wildstorm. "Would there be a body of water nearby? Many of us were quite missing it."

"Oh, that's just up the rise here! I can draw you a map, or we could take you there ourselves, or even-"

"I'm sure we'll find it."

Wildstorm sighed, walking over to Chain Reaction. "There is an area of devastated wood in the forest. You could use that for building huts," he explained. "Whatever happened to your home, I'm sorry."

The Dreadwalker shook his head. "Not at all, Wind Beast. I should be giving condolences for your scattered clans," he insisted. "Our last location wasn't fit to be a home. We were always looking out for danger, hiding our emotions so the beasts couldn't find us. Since coming out here, I've been able to experience them again, and I've noticed the others are experiencing them as well. We've been brought back to life. Our home is out here now, wherever we decide to make it. Whatever you think we've lost, we can no doubt find again. But thank you for your concern."

Chain Reaction held his hand out for the Dreadwalker. "Then we should take our leave. I certainly hope we see more of each other."

The Dreadwalker shook his hand. "I do as well."

Chain Reaction and Wildstorm departed from them, going back on the path. Chain Reaction found himself walking briskly, drinking in the summer breeze. He hoped that he had made new friends in those strange Dreadwalkers. No doubt they'd share some interesting stories. He turned back to look at Wildstorm, prepared to mention this, but the smile he wore quickly died. The air knight walked slowly, his eyes cast down on the ground, appearing troubled.

"Hey, what's up?" Chain Reaction called out.

Wildstorm looked up at him, suddenly frowning. He quickly jogged up, shouting, "Now I'm sure _you_ don't know the way!"

* * *

Chain Reaction insisted that they take a train, in case Wildstorm's camp really was far from the M.A.P. Wildstorm seemed hesitant, stating his discomfort with fast-moving vehicles, but he conceded to it nonetheless. As the sun rose to its highest point, the two of them sat on a bench just outside of a train station. Chain Reaction noticed that Wildstorm seemed distracted, busy with his own thoughts. The air knight was known to be quiet, but never contemplative as he appeared now.

"This should take us out to the nearest depot, where we can continue into the main Skylands on foot," Chain Reaction explained. "I'm sure you can find your way after tha..."

He curiously tapped Wildstorm on the arm. The air knight jumped, nearly grabbing for the Air Blade on his back, but settled down when he saw Chain Reaction.

"Did you catch what I said?"

"Something pointless about the train, I don't care."

"Is everything alright? You seem a bit out of sorts."

"I'm fine. Just a bit nauseus, maybe."

"Maybe?"

No comment. Chain Reaction highly doubted if that part was true.

They sat in silence again. Chain Reaction tapped the wood on the bench, antsy to get moving. Silence wasn't something he took very well, and he found himself asking, "Hey, what exactly happened to your people?"

"What?" Wildstorm repeated.

"I just thought maybe it was the Dreadwalker's speech that has you in a tizzy."

"He was mistaken. I'm the only me anywhere."

"So am I, but I am part of a people scattered across Skylands. We all have a culture behind us, whether we know of it or not."

No comment.

"...Let's talk about something more pleasant, then. What's your camp like?"

Wildstorm leaned back, staring up at the clouds. "It's on a small island, probably only big enough to support one person. There's a pond with fish, as well as a few trees and plants where small animals reside. I've been able to hunt and train there as I please, away from the rabble of the towns."

"Do you really consider it home?"

"I feel like you're doubting the comforts of my camp."

"Well it's just that back at the Dojo, I can sit up on the roof. I can lay down, stare up at the stars, feeling quite at ease. Ambush might join me, or I might hear chatter from new recruits, or hear yelling from two sparring partners. I think of those things, and I know that is home. Do you have thoughts like that associated with your camp?"

Wildstorm turned his head away, refusing to answer. Chain Reaction took that as confirmation that he didn't feel that way.

The train screeched into the station. Chain Reaction got up, hands clasped. "Well, here's the train," he noted. "Best get on."

Wildstorm stood up, his eyes widened in nervousness. "And it's not going to go fast at all?" he muttered.

"This vessel isn't like those city clankers or that busy Sky Train. This one rarely has to run, and therefore it moves more slowly."

Wildstorm didn't reply, but he followed Chain Reaction onto the train. They walked into a train car, looking upon the blue-tinted walls matched with the red seats. The air knight eagerly took a window seat, setting his gaze straight out. Chain Reaction huffed. He couldn't help but feel that he'd chosen that spot for the sole purpose of ensuring that he didn't have to speak to him. Nevertheless, he took the spot across from him, still hoping that they could talk.

"You know, you're not quite like the other recruits among us Senseis," Chain Reaction began. "They are eager to get to know the rest of us, to follow us like ducklings until they know what to do around here. You seem to follow the beat of your own drum, simply waiting to carry out instructions and hardly caring what the rest of us do."

A puff of air blew out from the air knight's nose. "Isn't that why I was brought on?"

"It makes training you a bit easier, I think. We don't need to carry you through the proper sword techniques because you already know them. We don't need to tell you how to take care of a blade because you clearly treat your weapon like it's your baby. You're already a warrior."

Wildstorm glanced at him, giving him a bored, almost sleepy expression- that seemed to have lasted, hadn't it? "But..."

"It's just the interactions with people you need to work on. We're eager to be your friends, but you seem hesitant to trust us. I get that, I think. You don't exactly have a reason to trust us right now. It's fine for you to have alone time- all of us need a bit of it- but just know that we're here if you need to talk, okay?"

Wildstorm looked away again. "I won't let myself be tricked by prose like that."

"You've been disappointed by stuff like that before, huh?"

"You know, you're making me think of that Sky-Faun."

Chain Reaction straightened up in surprise. The air knight was referring to Buckshot, that much was certain. He didn't know that Wildstorm had given much thought to any of the other Senseis, much less the recruits. "You mean Buckshot?" he asked. "So you have freely spoke to one of us here."

"It was a brief conversation from last night," Wildstorm explained. "He said he was concerned about me staying out late to train and asked me to head to bed. You should've seen how desperate he looked, too. It was kind of annoying."

"You have to mind him, sometimes. Buckshot is rather friendly, and he's usually eager to make friends. I don't think he understands that he has to go a bit slow."

The sound of churning gears was heard, and the train started moving. Wildstorm sat up a bit, frightened, but he slowly relaxed. He understood that Chain Reaction had been right about the speed of the vessel.

"Yeah, the train is going to keep this pace all the way there," Chain reaction promised him, arms behind his head. "I find it rather relaxing. Admittedly, I've dozed off on this train a couple times."

"Probably because you're an elder," Wildstorm muttered.

Chain Reaction narrowed his eyes in order to tease him. "The sounds of the train are nice once you get used to them, and the fact that you can do nothing but sit is also relaxing. I don't usually ride alone, though. Someone usually comes along to wake me up before the train stops. Yeah, the worst part is the stop- the screeching isn't too loud, but you can get a bit of a spook when you're not expecting it."

He studied the air knight's eyes, noticing how droopy they seemed. "Is it scary trying to relax at the Dojo right now? I can get that," Chain Reaction added. "You could close your eyes here for a bit, if you wanted."

"I don't treat sleep as a leisure like you might," Wildstorm argued. "Even if I did, why would I relax here, which is also a strange place to be."

"I figured it was quieter here, with fewer people so you wouldn't have to worry."

"It's not a very good idea regardless."

Chain Reaction stroked his chain-like beard. "Is it because of that jump thing you did on the bench? Just because you didn't realize it was me?"

"I'm wary of any activity near me when I rest, and I'm prepared to attack if I need to. I'll perceive you as a threat no matter what. And that's not even considering the rest of this train."

"You've seen me fight, haven't you? I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry, I promise."

Wildstorm sighed, burying his forehead into his arm. "...My head hurts anyway. I'll trust you as sentry for now."

"Fair enough."

"Make sure nothing happens, okay?"

Chain Reaction stood up for a moment, surprised at that little comment. Maybe the air knight was beginning to trust him, even if it was only slightly. He took a seat next to Wildstorm, and replied, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The air knight gave him another look, and silently muttered, "Alright."

In another moment, the air knight's breathing became steady as he fell fast asleep. Chain Reaction smirked, noting how peaceful Wildstorm seemed at this moment. He didn't think that Wildstorm had gotten many moments of bliss.

* * *

They made a stop at a small village at the next train depot. Wildstorm insisted that they pause for a moment as he got his bearings, trying to ensure that they were on the right path. Chain Reaction spotted a café closeby, and he wandered over to it. The air knight followed behind him, frowning.

"You're trying to drag this out, aren't you?" Wildstorm grumbled.

Maybe Chain Reaction was. He wasn't sure what purpose Wildstorm had for returning to his camp, especially since he'd spent so little time with the Senseis. It wasn't a question he wanted to push on the air knight, though- it might be better if Wildstorm said the reason on his own accord."You don't have to tag along if you don't like," Chain Reaction insisted. "If you like, you can head off on your own."

Wildstorm stiffened a bit, surprised by the statement. He then stepped closer, silently waiting for Chain Reaction's next move. Chain Reaction walked up to one of the tables outside, taking a seat. He found himself surprised when the air knight took a seat opposite his.

"It's not like I'm in any hurry," Wildstorm muttered quietly. "I can take things slowly for the moment."

He wanted to make friends with the Senseis. Chain Reaction was sure of it. For whatever reason, the air knight was making sure to keep his distance.

Keeping his distance. Was that the point of Wildstorm's trip, then?

A waitress walked over to their table. Chain Reaction stopped her, and whispered a request into her ear. The two of them watched as she walked back into the café. Wildstorm looked at Chain Reaction, studying him with suspicion in his gaze.

"What was that for?" Wildstorm asked.

Chain Reaction shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Will you accept a bribe?"

"You want me to talk about myself."

"Nothing too big. Just likes and dislikes, if you're okay with it."

The waitress came back, carrying a basket in her hand. She set it down on the table, and the scent of the item in the basket ruse from the cloth hiding it. As the waitress left, Wildstorm's eyes lit up in surprise. His head kept switching back between Chain Reaction and the basket, unsure of what to make of either.

"It's a brownie basket," Chain Reaction told him. "You ever had brownies before?"

"Only a handful of times," Wildstorm gasped. "I was always saving what little money I had for more important things. but I did enjoy the soft texture of the ones I've had. Um...might that count, maybe?"

Chain reaction lifted the cloth up, taking out a brownie and handing it to him. "Why not?" he decided.

Wildstorm eagerly took it away. He bit at the corner of the brownie, wincing as the pastry burnt his tongue.

"Oh right, I should've warned you that it might be hot," Chain reaction grimaced.

The air knight didn't seem to mind. He stared in awe at the brownie, replying, "This one's softer than the ones I've had. Practically melts in your mouth."

"They're fresh from the oven, I think. I find them best when they're like that."

Wildstorm took another bite. "Large pillows. Fuzzy blankets. Open fireplaces," he said hurriedly.

"Maybe we ought to slow down. You know, in case you really were nauseous before."

"It went away on the train. I think that nap I got must've helped."

Chain Reaction fiddled with the handle on the basket. "But you like those three things you mentioned?"

Wildstorm nodded, shoving the brownie into his mouth. "Preferably together. You could usually find them in most of the merc gathering halls,"- he swallowed, choking a bit before being able to bring it down- "They usually had large chairs as well, but they were usually taken when I got there. It didn't matter, though, because I could normally manage to get a seat closest to the fire, even during the winter months. I always thought that if I made my own house, I'd have those things built into it. I'd sit up front, hiding away from bad weather,, watching the flames and being at peace."

There was a joyful look to his eyes that Chain Reaction hadn't seen until now. Wildstorm looked like an eager kid, one that might get along with one of the other recruits. Heck he looked a lot like them now- if Chain Reaction took this form of him and put him in a picture with the others, he'd blend right in with them. He wanted to see more of this Wildstorm in future weeks.

"Have you ever heard of pillow forts?" Chain Reaction asked. "Eon and I used to make them with Rory when she was little. You'd grab all the pillows and blankets you could and make a fort somewhere, hiding books and toys in there to keep with you, and then you'd sit and tell stories and whatnot."

"You just hang out in them? And nothing else?" Wildstorm wondered.

"Well if enough people came by, you could build two and have a pretend war."

Wildstorm lost his gleeful attitude. He lowered his head so that his eyes studied his hands on the table, becoming the image of melancholia. "This plan seems to involve a lot of people."

Chain Reaction nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "It could only be two people hanging out, talking about things. Or it could be one person, quietly hiding away. You can do a lot with..."

"I doubt any of you would want to do that with me."

Chain Reaction lowered his arm. He knew that feeling all too well. He didn't want to wait around for the air knight to speak anymore. "Is this the way you always feel?"

Wildstorm made a move to get up. "We've wasted enough time here. I ought to get going, and I don't think you can travel so far out with no worries," he insisted.

"Tell me what you're thinking. Does it have anything to do with what that Dreadwalker said?"

The air knight settled down again, shoulders slumped. "Perhaps."

"Don't give me a 'perhaps'. You can't fix things with 'perhaps'."

Wildstorm touched a hand near his mouth. "He expected me to know. You could see it in his eyes- he expected me to know about my supposed clans. I get insulted by the idea of finding my people, and others become so baffled to find that I'm alone."

Chain Reaction straightened out. "You're saying you were abandoned?"

The air knight nodded. "I have no memories of a nice home or loving family. I don't think I ever had that from the moment I opened my eyes. They had to have tossed me out, thinking I was a monster or a bad omen. You wouldn't disagree with my thoughts, would you?"

"You can't know the reasoning behind your abandonment. That said...I get where you're coming from.

"I just wanted to live out the rest of my days alone at my camp, but then Eon had to ask me to become a Sensei. You're all so eager to have me join you and be your friend, practically nagging me about it. Would you even know what to do if I went along with it? Wouldn't you grow sick of me, after a while?"

Chain Reaction was starting to understand. "We wouldn't-"

The eyes of Wildstorm's animal headpiece started glowing. That usually happened when he got angry. It was more subtle than anything the air knight had shown thus far, but it was still a bit unnerving.

"I've heard that plenty of times as well," Wildstorm growled. "Plenty of times as I was growing up. Through my work, I met people that I liked, that seemed to like me. They told me I had a place with them, and every time, their interest in me waned until it was absolute irritation. I could slip up a few times, accidentally break something small, and they'd go nuts over it, and they'd yell at me for it until I knew I had to leave. One way or another, I become a bothersome moth in their eyes. We are mere workers, nothing more, nothing less."

"But you want more, don't you?" Chain Reaction asked.

The glow returned to the inside of the maw. Wildstorm's head seemed to sink just a bit lower. "I'm a monster. I don't deserve anything more than what I have."

The crowd was thinning out around them. Chain Reaction set both hands on the table, drumming them until he planned out his next thoughts. "Could it be that...you're not allowing yourself to have more?"

"What nonsense is that?"

"I remember being lonely. I remember searching for something other than what I'd lost, and coming up empty in that search. A few people fled from me when I trained with my blades, and in retrospect, it couldn't have been that many. I remember telling myself that it was my fault, that I was a monster, that I somehow brought it onto myself. I'd yell at everyone who came my way, telling them to leave me alone, no matter who it might be. After a while, I realized that I was building up a shield to protect myself. I'd convinced myself that no one could like me, and I was making sure that no one ever did. I think that's what you're doing. You're convinced that no one could like you, and you make sure to keep people away because you can't believe that someone out there might."

A couple more people left the seating area. Wildstorm watched them go, becoming antsy as he waited for them to disappear. He turned back toward Chain Reaction, lifting his head up a little to show watery eyes. "You said it was okay to talk to you?"

Chain Reaction nodded.

"What if I cried? Would that be too embarrassing

"That would be okay, too. I enjoy a good cry myself, sometimes."

Wildstorm nodded, and the tears began streaming down. The air knight sat there, pouting inconsolably for several minutes. Chain Reaction stayed put, despite the urge to come by and comfort him like he'd do with anyone else. He'd probably get shoved away if he tried to do anything.

"Th-That Sky-Faun gave me a blanket," Wildstorm choked out. "He looked so concerned for me. I didn't...I didn't want to be tricked again."

"And that's why you're heading back to your camp?" Chain Reaction wondered.

Wildstorm nodded.

"We don't always start out with the best of circumstances. Heck, sometimes they absolutely suck. But none of that was your fault. Nothing happened to you just because you existed or were in the area at the time. It'll take a while to learn and apply, but I think you'll see that you do deserve more."

The air knight let out a few more pouts, slowing back down to normal. Chain Reaction slid the basket over to him.

"Those can all be yours if you want," Chain Reaction decided. "I'm not sure they'll still be gooey like before, but they're yours."

Wildstorm wiped his tears away. "It doesn't matter to me," he insisted. "You're sure it was fine that I acted like this? Crying isn't exactly appealing, and I don't like feeling weak like this."

"Do you feel better? That's all I care about."

The air knight was silent for a moment, catching his breath. He nodded, muttering, "I think we should head back to the Dojo."

Chain reaction stood up, brow raised. "Not interested in going back to your camp?"

"I want to try and stay here a little while longer, if that's okay."

"It's more than fine. I'll lead the way back- do you think you might sleep again on the train?"

Wildstorm let out a slight grumble, grabbing the basket by the handle and following after Chain Reaction.

* * *

It was around nighttime when they found their way back to the Dojo. Wildstorm munched on the brownies the entire way, his gait increasing as they walked. Chain Reaction smiled at this. Again, he could perfectly match the air knight up with the other recruits and there would be no difference. He had no doubt that most of Wildstorm's worries hadn't gone away, but he was sure that they'd made some progress.

They stopped in the middle of the forested path back home, spotting someone sitting by the trunk of a tree. It was a Sky-Faun, his white fur stained brown with mud and tangled with leaves. Golden horns poked out from his head as he sobbed into his arms, and Chain Reaction recognized the Sky-Faun to be Buckshot. He walked over to him, though Wildstorm stayed back once more.

"Buckshot?" Chain Reaction asked.

The Sky-Faun lifted his head up, surprise filling his face. He jumped up and hugged Chain Reaction, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I need help. I didn't think I did, but I do," Buckshot cried. "Wildstorm disappeared into the woods. I didn't see where he went, and-"

"It's alright," Chain Reaction told him. "I found him. He's right behind me."

Buckshot stopped sobbing. He looked over Chain Reaction's shoulder, discovering the air knight standing idly by. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Have you been out here all day?" Chain Reaction asked, guilt filling his stomach.

Buckshot nodded.

Wildstorm stepped over to them, shoulders sagging just a bit. "I didn't know you were looking for me," he replied. "You went that far?"

Buckshot pulled himself away from Chain Reaction, wiping his tears away. "You seemed upset earlier. I wanted to make sure you were okay," he explained.

"I'm sorry," the air knight muttered.

"Are you okay?"

"I think so."

"That's all that matters, I promise."

Chain Reaction gave a stretch. "I think we've been up for a while," he decided. "Let's get back inside. Bucky, you ought to take a bath when we get in. It'll help you feel better."

Buckshot nodded. "Yeah. And Wildstorm, if you need to be alone sometimes, that's okay."

Wildstorm scratched his head for a moment. "I don't think I'd like to be alone tonight," he thought. "I want to try being near people, at least for tonight."


	44. Chop Chop: Written by the Victors

**It's that time of year again. :)**

Written by the Victors

 _The warrior and the rest of the elite force stood guard outside of a trading depot, keeping safe the Arkeyan citizens working there. Several attempted attacks had been made here, as bandits and other thieves attempted to steal the resources here. The resource game was a difficult one- one that the Arkeyans had the upper hand in, thankfully enough. It was hard for robots such as themselves to survive on their own._

 _The thief was spotted miles away, and the warrior was quick on his feet. He hurried up to the thief, blade pulled out in a show of force. The thief, a malnourished vampire, staggered back, hands up in defeat. The warrior didn't back down, though. The vampire thief had hunger in his eyes, a lack of blood starting to take his toll. Depending on the circumstances, he might lash out at anything that moved, whether or not they had the sustenance he needed._

 _"No vampire is a match against my blade," the warrior spat. "Turn back or face the consequences."_

 _The vampire thief sifted through a bag at his side, pulling out a few sparse gems. The gems were dull, barely worth anything on the market. But the fact that he was trying to pay, that meant he still held some of his sanity._

 _"I need to feed," the vampire groaned. "I don't want to lose myself. You have the resources. Help me feed."_

 _"Those rocks won't pay for anything," the warrior insisted. "And our workers are far too valuable."_

 _"Don't you cycle out various workers once they lose their usefulness? Find me one of those."_

 _"We haven't cycled out yet."_

 _"But some of them are getting weaker, right?"_

 _He had been noticing a few of the workers slacking up in their duties, a few passing out during construction. It wouldn't be much longer until they had to bring in new blood to replace the old._

 _"It's not in my place to say," the warrior explained._

 _The vampire brought his wrists together. "Arrest me, then," he begged him._

 _Begging for arrest. It was strange for anyone to do that. But the warrior gave in, tying the vampire's hands behind his back. The force parted for them, allowing them to head into the depot. They walked past stands of valuables, keeping away from the robots walking about. The warrior came across an Arkeyan official, walking around with his Mabu servant and pet Warsupial. The vampire began growling, leaping out of the warrior's grasp. The binding broke away, and the vampire attacked the small gray rodent, scaring away the servant._

 _"What is the meaning of this?" the official spat._

 _The warrior stabbed his blade into the red dirt, kneeling before it. "Forgive me, sir. This vampire wished for an audience with officials here," he muttered._

 _"Did he now?"_

 _They looked at the vampire, fangs dripping in blood. His sunken features seemed to fill up a bit now that he'd gotten a taste. The Warsupial was still squirming about, refusing to let the vampire best it as it snarled in contempt._

 _"Normally I'd allow you to finish off a domesticated Warsupial," the official told the vampire. "Though they're hard to tame, they're really a dime a dozen. However, this pet of mine is the breeder in the market here. Do be careful with him."_

 _The vampire whimpered, releasing his grasp on the rodent. "Look at me, reduced to feeding off of vermin," he pouted._

 _The official picked up the Warsupial as it begged to climb on top of him. He set the gray rodent on his head, flinching as it hissed at the vampire. "What was it that you came here for?" he asked._

 _"I meant to feed on the workers who could no longer work," the vampire explained. "It seemed a waste to toss them out. To me, at least."_

 _"Do you still have contacts with your vampire clans."_

 _"I haven't for a while, but I could bring them up again if I had to."_

 _"You very well might. We'll let you feed on some of the workers. But in return, you have to head back to your clans, and let them know we wish to have ties with them."_

 _"What could we give you?"_

 _The official pointed at the warrior. "This warrior and the rest of his flock were experiments in Undead magic- experiments that brought out the most welcome results. But we ran out of the well used to make them. What I'm thinking is that the Arkeyan Empire will trade workers with your clans, and in return, your clans shall trade us Undead magic."_

 _The vampire staggered to his feet. "I'll see what I can do," he muttered._

 _"My servant will lead you to the barracks. You can stay here for a few days until you're ready to travel back to the Underworld."_

 _The servant meekly walked up, leading the vampire away. The official walked up to the warrior, who had kept his form this entire time._

 _"Rise," the official said. "You are not in trouble. In fact, I think I might commend you."_

 _The warrior stood up on wobbly legs- he hadn't realized how scared he'd been._

 _"Your forces' talents are wasted here," the official explained. "You need to be fighting more than simple bandits. And I think I have an idea of what you can do."_

 _"And what might that be?" the warrior asked._

 _"My messengers have sent word about a resistance in the mines a few islands away. This will slow down progress, and mess up the order we're trying to achieve. I want your forces to snuff them out."_

 _The warrior put his blade away. "My sword is ready, sir," he promised him._

* * *

The sound of a book slamming on a table roused the warrior from sleep. He bolted upright, finding himself at a library. Dusty old books lined the shelves, holding ancient tales of valor or woe.

That was right. The Arkeyan Empire was no more, wiped out ten thousand years ago. All that remained were the ruins excavated by scholars.

The warrior had heard that such a scholar was going to speak on them today. He hadn't slept through it, had he?

His attention drew itself to the source of the sound. Two Mabu had bumped into on another, the cause of the dropped book. One of the Mabu was a female, decked in yellow, appearing a bit more cat-like than most of her kind. The other was much shorter, mole-like with large glasses and a green coat. The warrior recognized him from the flier he'd read for this event- that was the speaker, Hugo.

"Oh dear me! I'm so sorry for that!" Hugo gasped, gathering the book. "It was cold this morning, and the library's heat fogged up my glasses, and-"

"It's fine, okay?" the female Mabu insisted. "It was an accident. Let's just leave it at that."

The warrior found himself confused. Was that really the same person on the flier? But he was so meek and tiny. He didn't look like he could stand the wait of an audience from up on that podium.

The green-clad Mabu left to the stand to get ready. The warrior called the female Mabu over, asking, "I haven't missed the seminar, have I?"

The female Mabu came over to the table he was sitting at, pulling up a seat. "It's actually just starting," she said.

The warrior nodded.

"You were made by the Arkeyans, right? I recognize your form from some of the temples I explored. They have statues in the main corridors depicting guys like you."

"Indeed I was."

"So this is like attending your own funeral, huh?"

"More like attending my own wake. The caskets are long gone."

The female Mabu held her hand out. "Cali," she greeted him.

The warrior tentatively took her hand. Even after all this time, he wasn't used to Mabu acting so friendly around him. They used to be angry, or scared, since the Arkeyans had been in authority. The warrior had become a bit more diminutive in this Mabu-run society. "I have no name to speak of," he said.

"Well that's no good. Perhaps I'll have to name you, then."

What a strange culture it was, indeed.

Hugo came up to the podium, taking several stepladders to get to the top just so his face could be seen. "Good morning," he began. "My name is Hugo, and I am here today to describe some history on the Arkeyan Empire."

He was speaking with more confidence than he had been before. The warrior almost thought it was commendable. Of course, there were only about two other people in this section of the library sitting down and listening. People were coming through, browsing through the book selection and not really paying attention at all. The warrior found this situation very amusing.

"Many millenia ago, the Arkeyan Empire had expanded across most of Skylands, striking fear into the hearts of many opposing forces. They held most of the world's resources, using them to strengthen their armies. These resources ranged from things like minerals and labor, using people to expand their ever-growing empire."

The warrior thought he might fall asleep again. So far, this Mabu was simply reiterating facts that everyone knew at this point.

But Hugo continued, thankfully adding more meat to his message. "Recently, an Arkeyan Temple was uncovered near the Elven Woods, causing quite a stir in the populous there. Various relics were unearthed there, including, and perhaps more frightening than anything else, torture devices."

Torture devices as frightening things? They were a necessity to preserve the Empire- not that it did any good. The warrior felt insulted by this, and he got up and left.

The warrior made his way outside, taking in the chilly morning. His bones felt empty and hollow, and a feeling of loneliness set in. They'd been telling stories of how awful the Arkeyans were for centuries. When the Empire was a recent casualty, when it was but a memory, to this point when they were mere echoes, each tale recounted them as awful monsters. No one looked at the warrior like that, but they seemed to scorn his empire's legacy in his presence. It did nothing but weigh down on his soul.

He suddenly heard a commotion in the village, just a little ways from the library. The warrior hurried to find the source, weapon drawn. He made his way to the center of town, finding an elderly man cornered by three Drow thugs. The Drow were walking toward him menacingly, weapons dragged out.

The elderly man patted down his blue robe, grimacing at the Drow. "Honestly, I have nothing of value for you," he insisted. "Nothing at all."

"What about those pretty jewels on your hands?" one of the Drow scoffed.

"These are mere trinkets. A friend of mine got them for me from the dollar store, honest."

"Cough up what you've got. Now."

The warrior ran on the offensive, dragging his blade out. He slashed at the arm of the biggest brute, taking the heat off of the elderly man and onto himself. The warrior stabbed the sword into the ground, summoning brambles that knocked the Drow onto their feet. One Drow ran after him, too fast for him to dodge, so he brought up his shield to block the attack. The Drow tried tu surround him, to overwhelm him in the next attack.

"You're going to regret going after us," the Drow growled. "Prepare to die!"

A blast of energy shot the three of them, freeing the warrior from the circle. It had come from the elderly man, who staggered to the ground in exhaustion. The Drow, though weakened, did not relent. The warrior slashed at them, summoning an aura around the sword to assist him. This sapped more of their energy, making them unable to charge. The Drow then ceased their attack, fleeing from the both of them. The warrior hurried over to the elderly man's side, helping him to his feet.

"...I'm not the wizard I used to be," the elderly man sighed. "Thank you for coming to your aid."

"Do you have anyone who might be worried for you?" the warrior asked. "Who'd like to know that you're okay?"

The elderly man steadied himself, regaining his composure. "Yes, but I don't think we should let them know of this incident. It was a bit foolish of me to walk around as I am. I've seen those thugs before. They only wore the masks of bandits in order to keep up appearances."

"You think they were after you?"

"I know they were."

"Do you have a safe place to go? A secure home to return to?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you go back, then? If felons are going after you, it can't be safe for you to roam out here."

"I don't want to hide myself away like some old fossil. And I'm not going to let these people scare me into hiding."

The warrior nodded, and he turned away to leave the man be. He didn't get far, pausing to look back at him. Why should he leave right away? It wasn't as if he had anything better to do. And he couldn't just let that man get attacked again.

So the warrior came back, asking him, "What brings you out here, anyway?"

The man looked at him, a bit surprised to see him return. "A friend of mine got lost here," he explained. "He asked me for time off so he could explore the Arkeyan ruins around here. I got a message from him a day ago, asking me to pick him up. He must've run into trouble."

"The Drow, perhaps."

"I was trying to locate the position of the message in order to find him when those Drow attacked him."

"I can help you look for him. Or at least protect you from danger."

"I don't really have anything to give you."

"That doesn't matter to me."

The man held his hand out for him, like the Mabu had done earlier. "I'm glad for your assistance, then," he smiled. "My name is Eon. What may I call you?"

"Whatever you like," the warrior shrugged. "I have no name."

"That doesn't seem good."

"Names aren't important to me. Any I might have, at least. Lead our path, alright? We're probably wasting time as it is."

The man nodded, and they set off on their way.

* * *

Eon led them into the jungle nearby, staying on the path carved out for them. The warrior disliked the thick plants here, finding that even the smallest vines got stuck on his equipment. Ravenous creatures seemed to lurk among the trees, snarling at them, though refusing to come any closer to the warrior. A sense of foreboding hung in the air, and the warrior found himself concerned with Eon's friend.

"I was sure it was this way," Eon muttered. "The signal seems a bit weak here."

"Interference, perhaps," the warrior shrugged. "With all of the trees in the area, I'm not surprised. Should we turn back?"

Eon shook his head. "I believe he might be around here. This is where the ruins are, right?"

"I don't know the exact location."

They trudged onward nonetheless, keeping their eyes peeled.

The path became more cluttered with plants and fallen leaves, and a sound came forth from the foliage. It sounded like drills, and it sounded like they were chipping away at the plants. Trolls, maybe? Or something worse? The warrior stepped in front of Eon, pulling his sword out. Whatever was out there, he would face it.

Something came out of the trees, posing very little threat to them. It was an Arkeyan driller-bot- the warrior hadn't seen one of those in a long time. His red-and-gold colors seemed a bit dull from years of weathering the elements. His metal seemed a bit dented as well- the warrior noticed this on himself, noting their longevity. The driller-bot seemed a bit meek, though he spun his driller hands around in glee.

"Drill Sergeant! Thank goodness!" Eon cheered, hopping over to him. "The message you sent me seemed a bit hurried."

The warrior laughed. Drill Sergeant!? That was the name they gave this ancient relic?! How unfortunate!

"Ba da da. Sorry Master Eon. It must have slipped my drills," Drill Sergeant stated matter-of-factly. His tone reminded the warrior of a lost age, when driller-robots came off the assembly all the time, each sharing this monotone speech.

Eon knelt down to look at him, his brow furrowed in concern. "You sounded scared on the message," he reminded him. "I'm not mad. Tell me what happened."

The driller-bot backed up, his eyes casting away from him. " Ra da da. It was a slip-up. An accident," he insisted, his monotone voice replaced with one of desperation. "You can return home if you wish."

"What's wrong? You seem upset."

"It's alright. Just a mistake. Ra ba ba."

With that, Drill Sergeant disappeared into the trees, nearly vanishing altogether. Eon stayed put, worry overcoming him.

"You're not going after him?" the warrior asked.

"Forcing him to talk won't make anything better," Eon explained. "But something definitely happened. I'd like to know what it was."

"It came from the ruins here, perhaps. We can find our answers there."

Eon nodded. "Perhaps," he muttered, appearing a bit pale. "We should go."

"You seem a bit ill. Maybe you should stay behind."

Eon got up shakily. "No, I'm okay. I can make it there."

They moved on together, though the warrior was a bit reluctant. That odd sickly look on Eon had come on suddenly, seemingly brought on by Drill Sergeant's departure. What kind of force did something like that?

* * *

They arrived at a decrepit Arkeyan temple in the middle of an overgrown patch of land. Vines covered the exterior, so much so that it became nearly impossible to see the yellow-beige stone underneath. Flowers were dotted around here, some entering the wide mouth of the temple. Four lines of tread tracks cut through the soft ground, two for each trip Drill Sergeant made out here. No indicators of the Arkeyans could be found, and the warrior hardly recognized this place without them.

Someone else was out here as well. A female Mabu clad in yellow- Cali. She sat by a fallen pillar, sketching something on a scroll as various items lay scattered around her. The warrior walked over to her, stopping just before the clutter pile began.

"Cali, it's nice to see you here," the warrior greeted her.

"Same to you, Mr. Bones," Cali replied. "You disappeared on me earlier. You okay?"

The warrior nearly cringed at the name, but the way she said it made it seem like more of a joke. "I'm good. Did you see a driller-bot come through here, by any chance?" he asked.

"Not clearly. I hid here when I heard the sounds of the drills come by. The way you said it, does that mean it's not...part of this temple?"

"Did you think he was?"

"I've seen similar models around various other ruins, acting as if they still had duties to perform. Of course it makes sense...if that driller-bot didn't immediately go hunting for me. What's up?"

Eon walked forward, his teeth gritted as if he were experiencing pain. "That driller-bot is one of my own," he told her. "Something happened- is happening- to him in there. How well have you navigated those ruins?"

Cali stood up, grinning. "I've gotten to the very heart a few months back," she insisted. "It's not so hard the second time around. I can help you out."

"Oh fantastic!" Eon gasped. "Now why don't we-"

The warrior stopped him. "I'll meet you in there, Cali," he said.

Cali nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable, and went into the ruins.

"With all due respect, I think you should stay out here," the warrior explained. "Should be safe enough. I just...Drill Sergeant might be too afraid to talk to you. He might be more receptive to Cali and me."

Eon was about to protest, but then he backed off. "Maybe. These bonds...sometimes I get delirious with worry," he sighed. "Keep him safe, alright?"

The warrior nodded.

"And you don't have to worry about me, either. I'm not dying, if that's what you're afraid of."

The warrior nodded again, a bit embarrassed at the comment, and he made his way into the temple.

* * *

Cali had made some distance ahead of the warrior, but it didn't take long for him to catch up to her. They walked along a wide corridor, the walls lined up with statues of various other warrior models. Broken worker robots were strewn about on the ground, appearing to be asleep. The warrior didn't enjoy climbing into these ruins. The hollow void in his soul ached worse every time he did.

"I'm thinking your friend might be looking for the power chamber. It seems to be a habit of various worker units to return there after a certain period of time," Cali decided. "From what I've studied, at least. You might have a better idea, though."

"Honestly, I can't say," the warrior shrugged. "Driller-bots didn't have emotions like this one seems to have. They were always drilling, always making new tunnels for the mines and the temples. They were set on working, and they didn't express the wish to want anything more, even claiming to be content with the work. The only time I saw them act in anything emotional was when they saw a figure of power they particularly liked, flocking to them in some sort of excitement. This unit did the same, at least I'm sure."

"Did they usually depart?"

"No. They'd stick around until they were commanded to get back to work. Which is why I find it odd that this one left on his own accord."

Cali touched her chin in thought. "Let's check the power chamber anyway," she decided. "Doesn't hurt to look, you know."

They continued onward, heading down a corridor on the right that led them down another level of the temple. The discarded robot parts seemed to become more and more sparse as they went along. They were eventually led to a space with two doorways, each on the opposite side of the corridor. Cali suggested that they split up, taking the room on the left. The warrior conceded, taking the room on the right, nearly pausing at what he found.

It was a room, completely box-like in design. Archaic weapons were lined on the walls, old and rusted. Claps were set on the back wall, wires attached to them, though the device for the wires had long since vanished. Perhaps these were the torture devices that Hugo described. The warrior had only seen them as a myth until now.

Maybe there was more to writing history than just being a victor. Maybe the Mabu knew what they were talking about.

The warrior fell to his knees, the void in his soul growing larger.

* * *

 _He'd had his doubts, though it wasn't in his place to even acknowledge any of them._

 _The warrior and his forces had gone on many missions to dispel resistance efforts. Attempt and attempt failed at each mine they went to. After a few months, attempts had slowed down altogether. The workers needed to see how necessary Arkeyan control was. The only other option for these ungrateful servants was a life scrounging for scraps._

 _One fateful day, they were sent out to quell resistance at the construction site of an Arkeyan temple. The Mabu workers fought with makeshift knives and spears, charging at them. The warrior and his forces had very little difficulty at first. The workers were poorly trained, and they cut down any resistance with ease, waiting until they started backing off._

 _Of course, there were the Giants residing at the site helping them out._

 _The charge seemed to be led by an elven genie, a flame golem at her side. Around them, the Mabu had greater vigor, and were more capable of taking them down. The Giants, of course, took out the most warriors, with the combined power of both fire and magic. They were forced to retreat, the victory going to the workers. The warrior had stayed back for a moment, and only just, to let their failure register to him._

 _Resistance sprung up more frequently after that, as well as their losses. It wasn't just elves and flame golems attacking them, but giant eyeballs and stone golems and mutated trees. Larger automatons were being manufactured to accompany them, which offered a little bit of success, albeit pyrrhic in nature. Giants started being hunted down, whether or not they were challenging the Arkeyans._

 _The warrior had a great dysphoria thrust upon him. Friends and brothers were dying left and right, and he was unable to do anything about it. Their losses didn't even amount to anything most of the time. It was all a string of fighting and dismantling, one that held no escape._

 _It made him think that, as hard as these Giants were fighting, perhaps there was something they were fighting for. Something that his superiors weren't letting on._

 _But ultimately, it wasn't in his place to think about, let alone say. The fighting would get easier if he kept these thoughts out._

* * *

"Hey friend, I think I found- whoa," Cali muttered.

The warrior turned his head to look at her. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting in this room full of hatred and death. Cali might have searched through every room by herself. The warrior didn't know what to say, or even if he could say anything.

Cali walked up, kneeling beside him. "You weren't aware of this, were you?" she asked.

"My superiors described a resource problem in the world," the warrior muttered. "That their rule would make things easier. That's not the case, is it?"

"Not according to history, unfortunately. While there are always resource problems- that, in itself, is the thing about nature- there wasn't a problem big enough at the time. There were forests and reservoirs, and other important marks for life to thrive. A problem only emerged when the Arkeyans started taking everything out of greed. That's when we started having problems."

"I searched for superiors for a long time. Anyone to give me some sort of direction. I halted in my quest about five thousand years ago. I was worried what they might have me do once I found them. It appears my worries weren't unwarranted."

"You didn't want to hurt any innocent people."

"Despite becoming the higher species, you Mabu were still so fragile. I kept safe any I came across."

"Those hypothetical superiors might not have liked you very much, then."

He wasn't sure they had ever liked him at all. But Cali's words made him feel a bit less lonely.

"I think I found our driller-bot. He's hiding in a treasure vault. Want me to take you there, or do you need another minute?"

The warrior stood up. "I'm good. Let's go," he decided.

They walked out of the room, heading back down the corridor. The space opened up, with more doors being placed here, and they found themselves at a very large door with a firm but weak metal on it. These fortifications were meant to keep people from breaking in, but the door was already open. Beeping and whirring were heard on the other side. The warrior went in, coming upon an empty room with only a few urns left behind. A hole had been carved in the wall, where Drill Sergeant had put himself.

"Stay here for a moment, okay?" the warrior asked Cali.

"Alright. I'll be here if you need me," Cali replied.

The warrior walked forward, about next to the hole. He sat down beside it, silently waiting for a moment. The driller-bot came out a tiny bit, looking at him, before crawling back in.

"You were with Eon. Ba ba da," Drill Sergeant noted.

"He's pretty worried about you," the warrior said. "I don't recall your kind fleeing from people you liked."

"Ra ba ba. Things are different."

"You seemed desperate to get close to him before."

"Old programming likely still intact. Ba da da."

"But you still ran away."

The driller-bot let out a few morose beeps. "I can want things now," he insisted. "I want to be by myself. I want Eon to forget."

"Forget what?" the warrior asked. "Forget about you?"

Drill Sergeant was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Yes."

"What for?"

"It was a mistake. Ba da da. I shouldn't be his friend. He deserves better. They all do."

"Was it the torture room that made you think of this?"

"I was in hibernation for a while. I wanted to see what had become of my Empire. I didn't think I wouldn't like it. Ra ba ba."

The warrior set his arms around his knees. "It's a bit unnerving, yes," he agreed. "You probably feel like a monster yourself. You realize what they did. You realize that you were a part of it."

"Ba da da."

"I'd like to say my experience here was worse. I remember attacking those slaves. I remember taking those order no matter what. I have no excuse for that. But I know that you did nothing wrong. You just exist with the Empire's bad connotation, and you feel like you deserve punishment."

No comment.

"But you don't deserve punishment, though. You did nothing wrong. You probably never even saw a slave camp. You can't take the blame for what they did. You have no reason to. Eon doesn't seem to think so, either."

Drill Sergeant crept out of the hole a tiny bit. "Maybe you have it worse. You have to live with what you did."

"I certainly do."

"But they might've tortured you if you didn't. So I really don't know."

"None of it really matters though, does it? They're all gone now. The bad connotation might still be there, but no one pictures us when they think of the Arkeyans. We are just machines that they had, and the superiors are the monsters that they see. We have no reason to hide."

Drill Sergeant came out, moving up to the warrior. He let out a few more beeps, appearing a bit calmer than before. The warrior looked up at Cali, who was sketching something on a piece of paper. Was she recording the two of them? If she was, then the nature of what she was writing was certainly interesting.

* * *

The warrior led Eon and Drill Sergeant to a train station, making sure that more Drow didn't attack them. Eon was looking much better, no longer sickly. He seemed to improve when Drill Sergeant's mood did. These "bond" things were certainly strange, but the warrior liked the idea of togetherness. He was at least glad that the driller-bot didn't have to be alone.

"Thank you so much for your help," Eon told him.

"It was my pleasure," the warrior replied. "I was glad to help."

"You know, Cali and I were talking before we came here. I know you didn't ask for anything in return, and that this sort of thing didn't matter to you, but I came up with a name for you."

"Oh?" the warrior grimaced, thinking of the less-than-stellar name for the driller-bot.

"How does 'Chop Chop' sound?"

The warrior shrank back, his arms nearly flailing in shock. "Chop Chop!?"

"We noted how strongly connected you were with your blade."

"I don't even chop things. I slice at them."

"The same motions are used, I'm sure. I'm not exactly the best chef, so I can't exactly say."

Drill Sergeant twirled his drills in glee. "It fits him for sure! Ra ba ba ba!" he chirped.

Chop Chop, eh? Well, he guessed that he had to go by something. "I'll take it," he decided.

"You're not just settling, are you?" Eon asked.

"I told you, it doesn't matter to me."

"If you're okay with it, then I'm glad."

Drill Sergeant let out a few beeps. "Train approaching!" he shouted.

The warrior, Chop Chop now, crossed his arms in thought. "I guess that means you're leaving now," he thought. "I don't suppose I'll see you around."

"What kind of other business do you need to attend to?" Eon mused.

He seemed to be prying, sensing something more. Chop Chop technically didn't have any business to attend to- he never did, and just travelled around seeing what he could find. Even so, he had no reason to tag along with them. "Something that's another island over," he lied. "It needs my attention."

"I see. Well, I doubt that we won't see each other again."

The train screeched in, and Eon and Drill Sergeant filed on. Chop Chop stayed where he was, a flood of thoughts and emotions circling within each other. Eon was leaving, and there were still so many questions he had. How did he feel things with such power? What kind of magic did he possess? Chop Chop found himself running forward, stopping the doors just before they closed. Some of the patrons, Eon included, looked at him in shock.

"What is a bond like?" Chop Chop asked.

"You're curious about that?" Eon wondered.

"Yes, very much."

"Come fully on the train then."

Chop Chop did, walking down the aisle. He took a seat next to Eon, being careful not to kick Drill Sergeant. "Now describe it to me."

Eon stroked his beard, thoughts running in his head. "It's rather hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced one," he explained. "It's like...being able to feel what someone else feels, on a level deeper than empathy. You are closer to them, as if they were a part of you."

"Does it make the hollow void within you go away?"

"Yes. Sometimes it hurts when bonds are severed, though you realize it's better to have known them than not."

It sounded like something Chop Chop might deal with, if he were to ever experience that.

"Is it something you might want to experience?" Eon wondered.

The question caught Chop Chop off guard, and he shrunk into himself.

Drill Sergeant crept closer. "You could come with us. Ba da da," he suggested.

Would that be the worst thing? To come along with them? He had no reason to do so. Of course, these ideas in his head were far too strong.

"I think I'd like to," Chop Chop decided.

"Perhaps you're already starting to form one with us," Eon thought warmly. "I'm surprised to come home with more than one Arkeyan relic. It shouldn't be very long, then."

The train started of, heading to Chop Chop's new destination. He gazed out the window, settling in for the trip. For once, he felt the hollow void shrink a bit.


	45. Hood Sickle: The Wrong Guy

Chapter Forty-Five: The Wrong Guy

The rain pounded hard on the forest floor, turning the ground below into a large mud puddle. Hood Sickle ran through these woods, slipping and sliding through, but intent on pushing on despite how awful the burning sensation in his legs was. He could hear voices shouting after him, and decided not to look at the Trap Masters hunting him down. He couldn't let them catch him again. He couldn't go back to that horrible prison.

Hood Sickle found a cave in the side of a cliff, and quickly ran inside. He panted heavily, and was unable to silence himself no matter how much he wanted to. He looked outside, watching through the trees as the Trap Masters halted, looking for his tracks. One of them wailed in frustration, and a conversation followed.

"This rain is washing away any tracks he might have made," a short cloth man yelled. "He might as well have gotten away."

"Don't say that, mate," a blue crocagator argued. "We've been on the bloke's trail for days. He knows it, too, and he knows he can't run any farther. We'll catch 'im tomorrow, after this rain stops. He has to be around here somewhere, but it'll do us no good to fight against the elements as we search."

Hood Sickle watched them leave, waiting until they disappeared into the trees before he started moving again. His body shook in the cold, but he forced himself to trudge deeper into the cave. His aching feet felt heavier than bricks, his weak arms felt like limp logs, and his bloodshot eyes yearned to close at every second. After making it to the very back of the cave, Hood Sickle pressed his back to the wall, sliding down to the ground in exhaustion.

 _This is a good spot to catch my breath,_ Hood Sickle thought. _Or a good place to die. It beats having those darned Trap Masters after me. They didn't even ask what I did. None of them asked._

He unclenched his right fist, an act which turned out to hurt more than he thought it would. A small gray crystal Trap was in the center of his palm, though he noticed that it was starting to turn dark. He wrapped his fingers around it again, giving an uneasy chuckle at his shaking hand. Hood Sickle could hardly recall the fight he had in order to get his Trap from those wardens. He could hardly recall anything from the past few days he spent on the run, trying to stay just one step ahead of the Trap Masters trying to send him back.

Hood Sickle wrapped his arms around his body, shivering. He felt like crying, though he was too weak to do so. He was cold, tired and hungry. He had no idea where he was, or even where he was going. Hood Sickle thought about what the crocagator had said, and wondered if he really couldn't go any farther. Surely he would die if he attempted it.

But he would not go back to Cloudcracker. He knew he didn't belong there. And he would not let anyone send him back.

* * *

 _Hood Sickle had spent years, maybe decades, within the Traptanium walls of Cloudcracker Prison._

 _It had started on a rather gloomy day on the surface Skylands, when it was cloudy but not yet rainy. Hood Sickle had already gained a reputation for being a frightening fellow. His freaky hood and large scythe gave him a menacing picture, and he usually popped up right in front of people. It was a different time back then, when ghouls had to be threatening when visiting the surface in order to survive. If Hood Sickle was good at one thing, it was surviving._

 _On that specific day, he had been wandering around near a small bakery when a crime in progress occurred. A large rat ran by, having stolen many goods. A few bystanders were around, shouting at the rat to drop the items he had, and the Trap Masters of the day hadn't yet arrived on the scene. Not usually one to be a hero, Hood Sickle decided to step in, teleporting up behind the rat and knocking him to the ground._

 _But then the Trap Masters came onto the scene, and_ Hood Sickle _was the one they apprehended. To them, it had looked like Hood Sickle had assaulted a regular villager. He tried teleporting away, but one of the Trap Masters stunned him with blow darts to keep him in place. The bystanders were still around, but they looked away from the event, unwilling to dignify it, as if they were just used to having bad things happen around them. Or they just wanted a creep like him gone forever._

 _Well, he'd certainly watched his freedom vanish before his eyes._

 _Years passed, Trap Masters came and went. He'd gotten a lick of freedom two years ago when the old prison was destroyed, going with Pain-Yatta in order to try and hide from them. But the two of them had both been captured once more, held securely by the current Trap Masters even during the Rift Crisis. He figured that the piñata monster was still in their custody._

 _It had only been a chance moment when Hood Sickle had gotten a hold of his Trap. Cloudcracker Prison had been rebuilt, and they were preparing to lock up the inmates that hadn't reformed. They'd released him from his Trap just before putting him in a new cell. Thinking quickly, he tackled the warden down and stole the Trap away. He didn't focus on finding his weapon or any supplies, and simply ran away from the prison with a train of Trap Masters behind him._

* * *

Birds tweeted just outside of the cave, greeting the morning and saying goodbye to the night's storm. The night before, his mind had battled with his eyes to stay conscious- and his eyes had won. Hood Sickle found himself opening them, his sight blurry for a moment. His right hand wasn't clenched in a fist, and as his attention came into focus, he suddenly found himself scared. Hood Sickle was immediately on his feet, searching for the Trap, and unable to find it.

Oh no, oh no, it was gone! The Trap Masters hadn't found him, had they!? Oh, where was it!?

Chuckling was suddenly heard outside of the cave. Hood Sickle staggered out to find it, his body still aching. Though still weak and weary, maybe unable to carry out another trip, he decided that he felt better than he had last night. Exiting the cave to a wet and squishy forest, Hood Sickle spotted a purple desert sphinx directly next to the cave entrance. The sphinx was fiddling with something in his hands, smiling as the tiny crystal object glittered in the early morning sun. It was gray, though much more of it had turned dark. It was Hood Sickle's Trap!

"Most curious indeed," the sphinx mused. "It's rare for one to change Elements like that."

Hood Sickle tried shouting at him, but a hoarse cough came out instead. He suddenly remembered how thirsty he was as well. The cough seemed to get the sphinx's attention. He looked at Hood Sickle, the grin going away for a minute as his lips pursed in thought, though the sparkle in his eyes stayed where it was.

"Good morning, lost prisoner," the sphinx greeted him. "Guess how surprised I was to find you in there. It was very curious indeed. They're looking for you, you know. The Trap Masters. They called in last night for assistance."

Hood Sickle nodded.

"I can't do anything just yet. I'm on a scouting mission, and I was most displeased to be passed up to lead it. I can't do anything until i get the word from the mission leader about how to proceed. In another time, you might use this as an opportunity to escape, and I'd gladly let you get a head start. But this wet ground is perfect for tracking prints, and you, Sleeping Prince, don't look so hot."

"...Give it back," Hood Sickle whimpered weakly.

The sphinx looked at the Trap in his hand. "I can't do that either without mission leader's word. All I can do is ask questions, and you are in no position to refuse."

His legs wobbled beneath him, and he knelt to the ground.

"Look at you, formerly mighty Hood Sickle. You've fought so hard to get here, haven't you? Running as fast as you can, covering your tracks, holding onto this little token as if it holds your life in it. Maybe it does- and that's why you pushed yourself far past your limit. You seek your freedom, and you know in your heart that you don't belong in that shiny prison."

Hood Sickle's hand trembled feebly.

"I have a knack for these things, silly. It is a shame to see you like this, the goal just in sight, and unable to reach it."- the sphinx's ears perked up in alarm- "Alas, our chat must conclude. I believe the mission leader's coming back."

Hood Sickle felt nauseous, perhaps from physical illness, perhaps from the anger and depression building up within him. This overgrown cat was a Skylander, connected with the Trap Masters in some way. They were surely going to contact the Trap Masters about him. He'd lost. After trying so hard to get away from them, he'd lost.

A tall knight walked through the trees, coming up to the sphinx's side. The animal piece on his head looked to be that of a horned animal's maw, though his face was shrouded in darkness aside from glowing white eyes. He wore the same armor as the sphinx- black and gold with a belt tied around the waist. He carried a large blue-and-gold sword with the blade in two points at the tip, making him look pretty menacing.

"Alright, Mysticat, I've scoured the north and east ends of the woods and have come up with nothing to report," the knight told the sphinx. "What have you found on your search through the south and west ends?"

"Why, a fallen prince, a bruised soul, and an escaped prisoner lying at my feet, all encased in the same fractured body," the sphinx, Mysticat, replied.

The knight looked over Hood Sickle, eyes widened in shock and pity. "He's the one that the Trap Masters called us in about, right?"

"Just the same. I have his precious token with me as well- the Trap. What would be most morally sound- to send him back to prison, or to take him in until he's ready to go on his way to freedom?"

The knight kept his eyes on Hood Sickle, the look of pity growing even stronger. "What are you talking morality with me, for?" he asked. "I don't know anything about morality."

"So what are you thinking?"

"Let's convince the others not to call him in. If he's fought this hard for his freedom, I have a feeling it was a mistake to lock him up."

"My thoughts exactly."

The two of them helped Hood Sickle to his feet. Hood Sickle found himself wobbling as they went along, and the two Skylanders practically carried him. This act made him feel worse. While he didn't mind accepting help from others, he still grappled with the loss that had inevitably been handed to him as these Skylanders took him in. And then there was the fact that they were sticking their necks out for him. From past experience, it had gotten him into trouble when he went to do that.

"...I'm sorry...," he coughed.

"Don't worry about it," the knight insisted.

Hood Sickle's eyes closed once again, despite the effort he'd had of keeping them open. When he next woke, he found himself in a bed someplace. The room he was in had blue tinted walls, and was rather empty save for a nightstand with a clock on it. He heard little snorts near him, and he craned his head to spot a dozing Mysticat draped on the bed by his feet.

The door creaked open, revealing the knight carrying a tray filled to the brim with food and drink. He let out a sigh when he saw Mysticat.

"C'mon, Mysty, don't tell me you're falling ill, too," the knight grumbled.

Mysticat stirred, rubbing an eye. "I'm afraid sleep is an inviting companion, no matter your level of health," he yawned. "I believe our dear friend has refused it for so long."

"The reason he's so exhausted is because he's hungry and thirsty. Believe me, I know what that feels like, and it's unpleasant. Now scoot over."

Mysticat did, and the knight set the tray on Hood Sickle's lap. "Let me see how much of that you can eat in thirty minutes, just to see how well you really are," he challenged him.

"Now, Wildstorm, you can't overload a starving person like that," Mysticat argued. "You'll pop the balloon if you fill it too quickly. Hood Sickle could get sick that way, all over your room, and that wouldn't be good at all for any of us."

Hood Sickle sat up a tiny bit. "This is your place?" he said in a scratchy voice.

"This is just the room where I sleep," Wildstorm insisted. "And I could sleep anywhere else if need be."

"You...you really don't have to-"

"All we ask is that you don't take up more time than needed in getting well."

Mysticat's tail flicked in the air. "You'll be happy to know that we convinced the others not to rat you out to the Trap Masters," he beamed. "The rest of the Senseis will protect you as a secret, hiding you away until it's necessary to let you go."

Hood Sickle rubbed an eye. "I haven't failed yet?"

"Our paths are in the stars, and the stars are always changing and rearranging themselves. We must change with them, or else we truly will fail."

Wildstorm leaned on the wall. "What he means is that you still have a chance at freedom," he explained. "We can try and help you get there, if you let us."

Mysticat grinned. "I hear the Lost Islands are nice this time of year."

Hood Sickle grabbed a glass of water from the tray, slowly drinking out of it. So he hadn't failed yet. He couldn't allow himself to fail. And he also couldn't allow himself to weaken like this again. He had a feeling that he would need a lot of their help in order to gain his freedom.

* * *

He spent the next few days at this Dojo of theirs, slowly recuperating. Soon he was able to walk without staggering around, and even carry a heavy war scythe around. The Senseis had allowed Hood Sickle to keep his trap, and the item had slowly changed until it had turned completely dark. For some odd reason, they seemed to believe him about being wrongfully imprisoned at Cloudcracker.

One day, Wildstorm took him out into the yard for training practice. Hood Sickle dodged every swing that the knight delivered. He thrust the war scythe at him, to which Wildstorm swiftly dodged. Hood Sickle teleported near him, knocking him off balance just a bit. Wildstorm quickly regained his center, however, and managed to knock Hood Sickle onto the ground.

Mysticat stood out there, watching their sparring session. "Right straight! Upper cut! Thrust!" he shouted at them.

"Those moves aren't even related to what we're doing," Wildstorm insisted.

"Right, but I'm not quite sure which moves you guys are doing."

Hood Sickle sat on the ground for a moment, his head swimming. He wasn't quite well enough for this much rigorous activity yet, but he was getting there. Wildstorm helped him up, grabbing him some water. "Not ready yet, huh?" he asked.

"I'm alright, but I think we should stop for now," Hood Sickle nodded.

"You fight well, though. I wonder how you'll fight once you're back to one hundred percent."

The knight gave a chuckle as he said this, and Mysticat was smiling as usual. Though he wasn't back to full health, Hood Sickle felt better around them. These Senseis asked questions. They wanted to know more about him. They didn't stamp labels on him and leave it at that. Hood Sickle knew that the Trap Masters were genuinely trying to do good, but he couldn't help but be mad at them for everything. Thinking about how they'd just hauled him away without a second thought...that made him feel sick.

Mysticat's smile vanished, his ears perked up. "Someone's coming this way," he said. "And it's not one of the Senseis."

"Is it a Trap Master?" Hood Sickle stammered, suddenly feeling nauseous.

"The presence feels rather...wispy. Like a ghost."

"Eon?" Wildstorm asked.

"I think so."

Hood Sickle backed away, his body trembling in fear. It was one thing to confront the Trap Masters, to interact with them after everything that had happened. But to go up against a Portal Master, and feel his judging presence, that was somehow worse. He felt Wildstorm drag him away, leading him to a nearby barrel and hiding him inside. The space was cramped, but it felt safe to him.

"Are you alright in there?" Wildstorm asked.

"Yeah," Hood Sickle replied.

The knight set the lid on the barrel, closing him in there. The barrel had a tiny hole in the side, from which Hood Sickle could see the yard. Wildstorm and Mysticat stood next to one another, watching as a figure came into the yard. The figure in question was a floating spirit, depicted in a blue robe and long white beard. It was Eon. He was much...different than the last time Hood Sickle had seen him.

"Greetings, Senseis," Eon said to them. "It's been a while since I've come around here, hasn't it?"

"At least a few cycles of the moon," Mysticat shrugged. "Was there something you needed?"

"Actually...yes there was. Is King Pen here, by chance?"

"He went out this morning with Ambush on a scouting mission," Wildstorm explained. "Chain Reaction is here, if you need to talk to him."

Eon stroked his beard in thought for a moment. "Since this concerns all of you, I might as well pass along the message," he decided. "This is about Hood Sickle. It has been several days since the Trap Masters located him in the area, and we thought you might've been able to find him much sooner."

Mysticat rubbed an arm. "Perhaps he fled the area that night after the Trap Masters gave up the chase. It didn't stop raining for several hours."

"Snap Shot reported that his state had weakened an awful lot. I'm not sure he could've made it far on his own without collapsing. It's imperative that we find him for his sake. Not because he's an escaped prisoner, but because his life may be in danger if we don't."

"What's going to happen to him once we find him?"

"First, we give him the necessary medical attention that he needs. After that...well, that depends on what I find out."

"Maybe he's not a criminal like you said he was. Did you ever think about that?"

"I've thought about that a lot, Mysticat. But that shouldn't be any of your concern."

"I can read the thoughts and emotions of people from their eyes alone. I can figure out what their plights are. It _is_ my concern."

"Then let your first concern be finding him. We'll determine his innocence at a later time, but right now..."

The old Portal Master trailed off, looking in the direction of the barrel. Hood Sickle's heart nearly stopped. He didn't notice him in there, did he?

"What is it, Master?" Wildstorm asked.

"Nothing," Eon insisted. "I was just thinking that I might like King Pen's word in this. I'll be in the nearby village, waiting for him. When he comes back, let him know that."

And so the old Portal Master slowly floated away, leaving them all behind. The two Senseis waited for a while, and then walked over and opened the barrel. Wildstorm helped Hood Sickle out, setting him on the grass. Hood Sickle still felt his nerves shaking. The Portal Master hadn't noticed him, had he?

"Don't blame the Trap Masters too much," Wildstorm told him. "They have stronger regulations than the other teams. They can't afford to be wrong about stuff like that."

"I know," Hood Sickle nodded.

He noticed that tears were streaming from Mysticat's eyes. The sphinx's fists were clenched at his sides, and his teeth were gritted in irritation. "If I can see those sorts of things in people, then it _is_ my concern," he hissed. "No one gets that. Not even King Pen."

"I'm sure they do," Wildstorm insisted. "There's just more on the line, is all."

That awful feeling came back to Hood Sickle again. He was going to get them in trouble. If Eon knew that they had hidden him there for the past few days, who knew what would happen? Hood Sickle just couldn't stand it to watch them get in trouble for sticking their necks out for him. They'd already done enough. Now it was time for his leave.

* * *

His destiny was tied with the Skylanders. That much he knew. And no matter how hard he tried to change that, he somehow always fell back with them. But if the stars were always changing, Hood Sickle had to find a way to change with them. That was what Mysticat had said, right?

Hood Sickle snuck away from the Dojo, keeping away from the Sensei's peering eyes. He made his way to the village nearby, noticing a crowd near a card shack. The people were chattering excitedly, noting the presence of the Portal Master there. All Hood Sickle had to do was walk through, and people timidly shifted away from him so he could pass. That was always a neat trick of his.

The card shack had many tables set up, where people were playing some version of Skystones. Master Eon was seated at an empty table, waiting around in case King Pen showed up. Hood Sickle walked in there, right up to the table. The old Portal Master looked surprised to see him there- surprised and relieved.

"I hear you've been looking for me," Hood Sickle spat, tossing the trap over to him. "Well here I am. Now what?"

Eon picked up the trap, noting the change in color. "It seems that your Element has changed," he noted. "Strange. I never pegged you to be a candidate for that sort of thing. Usually one goes through a sort of metamorphosis in order for that to happen, and you seemed incapable of it."

No comment.

"Why don't you take a seat so we can talk?"

Hood Sickle pulled up a chair, sitting down.

"You're looking well. It appears that the Senseis found you and neglected to tell me."

"I coerced the cat into it," Hood Sickle lied. "I might've been sick, but not sick enough to keep from being threatening. I scared them all into helping me hide. I figured once you came around that the jig was up. So whatever you do, don't hurt them because of me."

"Are you worried about that?"

"What does it matter? I'm not going to see them again, am I?"

Eon fiddled with the trap. "That depends on what I find out," he insisted. "Skylands is in the middle of repairing and reconfiguring itself, you know. I figured the Skylanders could try it out as well, starting with some of the inmates we have locked up. We've been working with some of the Doom Raiders, for starters."

"Ugh, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that no one is entirely good or evil, and that is something that Cloudcracker Prison has failed to represent. I'm thinking that it wasn't Kaos that destroyed it the first time, but the restrictions I placed on the Trap Masters. If I'd allowed them to be as free as the Swap Force and Senseis and Superchargers, they might've allowed themselves to keep a loose watch on the prisoners and make sure that the prison itself stayed safe. They were all preoccupied inside when Kaos planted that resonator there."

"I'm sure the Rift Crisis would've destroyed it as well. You couldn't have predicted that."

"And I was also thinking that we gave up on reforming the inmates as well, branding them as villains without a second thought. Most people do that, but...I thought we knew better. And every time I visited that prison, looking at you and Pain-yatta and everyone else, and I wondered who all really needed to be in there."

Did he really believe that? Did he really think those things? "Don't you dare lie to me."

Eon placed both hands on the table. "I am being one hundred percent honest with you," he promised.

Could he have his freedom, then?

"I was looking over your old files, and none of them pegged you out to be a criminal of any kind. Mysticat seemed to think you were innocent, and I know the way he can read people is incredible. So tell me, what was it like for you in there?"

His eyes welled up. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have tried to stop that thief, but I got in the middle of it," he pouted. "They didn't even hold a trial, they just...locked me up. No one ever did a review or something to see if I belonged there. I spent my days looking out a barred window, wanting to find my way to freedom. The Trap Masters were constantly on patrol, giving all of us wary glances, as if we were always planning something. They'd decided that we were monsters and left it at that. I knew I didn't belong there, but I sometimes felt that I deserved it somehow. Just for being me."

He felt Eon pull him into a hug, and all Hood Sickle could do was cry. Everything he'd felt in the past few weeks just presented itself in front of the old Portal Master. Crying in the cave might've been more appropriate, but he felt less lonely there.

"Oh my. And the last thing I wanted was for anyone to feel ashamed of who they are," Eon gasped. "I'm so sorry, Hood Sickle. We'll make this up to you somehow, I swear."

Eon released him, holding the trap tightly. Hood Sickle watched as it lit up in a bright light. That light quickly vanished, and the trap fell apart in millions of tiny pieces. Hood Sickle felt a twinge of pain in his chest, but a kind of weight left with it.

"You are no longer bound to a trap, and you are no longer bound to the prison," Eon explained. "You can go wherever you want without worrying about the Trap Masters. If you want, we can help you find a place to settle down."

Hood Sickle wiped the tears from his face. He could go if he wanted. He'd finally won his freedom, and he could go anywhere he wanted to. But somehow, he was sure that it wasn't meant for him. His destiny was tied with the Skylanders, a group that was always changing and rearranging itself just as the stars did. He had to change with them, and if he didn't, the universe wouldn't let him forget it and just send more of them out to meet him.

"No," he decided. "I want to become a Skylander. I want to keep this from happening to anyone else."

"Are you sure?" Eon gasped. "I almost thought you would've given up on us."

"I still believe in what you're trying to do. I know you're not bad people. I need to lend a hand in that."

A commotion suddenly occurred at the entrance to the card shack. Mysticat had made his way there, the penguin Sensei King Pen just behind him. They watched warily as Hood Sickle sat with Eon, though the fear was mostly toward the old Portal Master.

"You know, I don't think the Senseis want to be done with you just yet," Eon decided. "Train with them, and become a teacher that can lead others onto the right path. And if need be, help give the Trap Masters a hand every now and then."

"I think that sounds perfect," Hood Sickle agreed.


	46. Crusher: Stone Skin

Chapter Forty-Six: Stone Skin

Crusher whistled as he worked, smashing stones and metals that he found along the path. There had been a lull in his mission, and so here he was, working on his hobby. The desert seemed empty of Arkeyans, for the most part. Some of the metals he was smashing were from the remains of Arkeyan Drones. Best not to leave any of them behind for people to scavenge.

As he paused to swing his hammer again, he heard some kind of commotion beyond the tall rocks of the desert. Buzzing...laser shots...whooshing flames. There was some kind of fight going on. Crusher paused where he was, following the noise and running in to help. He halted in front of what looked like a large battle scene. A tall pillar had fallen over, used as cover for a flame golem and giant wasp. Two large Arkeyans had gotten a large gatling gun, shooting it in all directions at the Giants. The wasp and flame golem stood up to fire back whenever space opened up for them to do so, but they had no way out of this predicament.

Crusher rushed in, swinging his hammer at the Arkeyan robots. They turned the gatling gun on him, firing laser shots at him- he hardly felt it, however, because his stone skin was too tough. It was a gift, one which he'd been using in his mission. He swung the gatling gun away, smashing it to bits. The robots were scared enough to start up running, but the fire golem was hot on their heels. He smelted them with a thick black substance from his hands, trapping them where they were.

"Hot Head, wait! They were running!" the large wasp insisted, standing up over the pillar.

"I know their game, kid," the fire golem, Hot Head, argued. "They're just going to report back to their superiors on our position. I'm just trying to keep us safe."

"I know. But you have to be careful not to go overboard like this. Maybe we can ask them for help."

"Alright, alright. But I'm not allowing them to get the drop on us like that again."

Crusher stamped the remains of the gatling gun a bit more, ensuring that no one else could use it. Hot Head stepped closer to him, bending over a bit to observe him.

"Aren't you a golem?" Hot Head asked with a furrowed brow. "You should be dead from a beating like that."

"I'm a rock golem," Crusher explained. "Hits like that are no skin off my nose."

"Impressive."

"Did they hit you?"

Hot Head nodded. He showed off the side of his right arm, revealing an orange-red gash. "Once Swarm spotted those guys, we barely had enough time to take cover," he explained. "We knew that the minute we left that cover, we'd be dead."

The large wasp, Swarm, walked up next to Hot Head. He was shaking from nervousness, perhaps from their recent ordeal. "Thanks for coming when you did," he told Crusher. "If you hadn't...I don't know."

"Are you alright?" Crusher asked him.

"Not quite. Maybe in another minute."

Hot Head set his arm over Swarm's shoulders. "We're alright," he promised him. "We got out of there. No harm done."

"Are...are you sure there aren't any other ambushes in this desert?" Swarm muttered.

"I haven't noticed any other spots like that," Crusher added. "I think we're okay."

"I doubt you'd notice them. That's why they're called 'ambushes', right?"

Oh, that was right, wasn't it. Sometimes those things escaped Crusher's mind.

"If you'd like some additional cover, I'd be more than willing to assist you," Crusher decided. "I'm kind of impervious to most damage."

Hot Head looked at his arm wound again, wincing. "That's not a bad idea," he agreed. "We were looking for a temple around these parts. That doesn't take you out of your way, does it?"

As a matter of fact, he was looking for the same thing- it was part of his mission. "Don't worry about me. I'm just glad to help," Crusher insisted.

* * *

"No way! You're _not_ icing my wound!" Hot Head spat.

"It's going to keep cracking open unless we do," Crusher insisted. "You don't want it to get infected, do you?"

"Why would I be worried about that?"

"Well, once the pus begins to form, the microbes will get used to the heat of your body, traveling through to your eternal flame. After a few days, the wound itself will grow and ooze, and-"

"Okay okay, I get it."

They'd settled into a cave for the night, trying to figure out their next plan of action. Crusher had decided that the temple couldn't be too far away at this point, if they were being attacked by Arkeyans. And with heavy artillery like that, they must've been trying to protect something. Now all was needed was for Hot Head's wound to be taken care of, and for a plan to be made in order to proceed.

Swarm had been exploring the back of the cave for a bit, quickly scrambling back to their side in shock. Small, gray-and-white rodents could be seen back there, safeguarding their trinkets. They looked at the wasp warily, standing on hind legs and sniffing the air.

"Aw, you found a clan of Warsupials!" Crusher sighed happily.

"They nearly bit me when I got too close to them. Why are you acting like that?" Swarm wondered.

"You should see these guys when you actively attack them. They're scavengers, I think- they like to hide, so no one knows that much about them. But they're fine around nice people. Who knows, they might snuggle up close to us for warmth in the night."

Hot Head crossed his arms in a frown. "I don't want those vermin anywhere near me," he huffed.

Crusher shuffled through his supply bag with pursed lips, searching for the ice crystal he had. "You don't seem to like a lot of things, do you?" he asked.

"Not much to like," Hot Head insisted. "Especially concerning ice crystals. You're not doing that to me."

Crusher cheered when he pulled the ice crystal out of his bag. "The ice doesn't go anywhere else," he promised. "Plenty of fire golems have told me so."

The flames on Hot Head's body rose up, and the fire golem glared at him. "Don't you lie about my people like that! They'd never agree to do that to themselves! Swarm, knock some sense into him!"

Swarm sat down, and he cast his gaze on the ground meekly. "I don't understand any of this. I can't really say," he insisted.

Hot Head looked over at him, the flames going down. He sucked in a breath, and every last flame on his body dissipated. "You said flame golems used this?"

Crusher nodded.

"If my body starts glowing again, pull away quick, alright?"

"Alright."

Crusher brought the ice crystal near Hot Head's wound. The fire golem shrunk down, even before the crystal touched him.

"Hey, what if we told stories to you?" Swarm asked. "To keep your mind off of this?"

Hot Head nodded.

"Alright, story...story...do you want to hear about my family?"

Crusher brought the crystal closer as Hot Head nodded.

"So, about my family. I had thousands of brothers and sisters, and we nearly made up the vast majority of our community. My father was a worker, helping fix tears in the hive walls occasionally. My mom was the queen, and she made all the rules for us."

Crusher put the crystal on Hot Head's wound. The fire golem winced, replying with a grimace, "The queen, you say? That makes you royalty! What's it like being a prince? Did you have servants?"

Swarm shrugged. "Being royalty was like being another worker, but with less rights. We were never allowed to leave the hive and collect pollen with everyone else. But it allowed me and Dax to pull pranks on everyone. No one paid too much heed to us, and we planted petal bombs in the combs, honey traps in the corridors, and very few people ever noticed that it was us who did anything."

"No one was hurt, were they?"

"Oh no, we were always careful about that. Except the two of us would probably get hurt occasionally- when my sisters found out it was us, they'd go ballistic on our stingers."

Crusher took the ice crystal away. Hot Head shivered for a moment, the ice patch settling onto the wound. "That doesn't seem too good," Hot Head chattered.

"It was all in good fun," Swarm insisted. "Hey Crusher, what was your family like?"

Crusher smiled, putting the ice crystal away. "I can't say my family was as big as yours," he began. "I didn't even have a mom. But my dad is the greatest. He was always helping me out, teaching me everything I needed. We would always go spelunking, looking for fancy rocks and gemstones to crush for our village. This helmet I have used to belong to him, and he gave it to me when I joined the business."

"What's his name?"

"Crusher."

"Really?"

"I come from a long line of Crushers. I'm currently 867th in the family line."

Hot Head's body regained its glow, the flame atop his head coming back to life. "Wish my dad was like that," he muttered. "My dad was way too rough. Always giving me a hard time about my mistakes, always yelling at me when I got out of line, it got pretty rough sometimes. But I guess it made sense. We were a migratory clan, and I had to keep myself safe one day, too."

"Did he hug you?" Swarm asked.

"Usually after I got out of trouble. He was usually super relieved."

"Where did you guys used to live?"

Hot Head turned on his side, huffing. "Doesn't matter. I'm here right now," he grumbled. "Goodnight."

Swarm rubbed the back of his neck. "Goodnight, Hot Head."

Perhaps they'd struck a chord with him. Crusher wasn't sure exactly what had happened that made Hot Head pull out. He thought back to the comment he'd made about the fire golems and their use of ice crystals. Hot Head had gotten defensive, refusing to believe that a fire golem could've used it. Maybe it was something he really didn't want to believe.

"So where's your dad now?" Swarm asked.

Crusher set his head on his sack. "Nearby, I'm sure. He was captured by Arkeyans several weeks back, as well as a few other miners. I'm sure they're at the temple you guys are trying to find. I hope they're just prisoners. Who knows what they'd do to them."

"No, you want to hope that they're workers or slaves. It's no better, but it means that they have a purpose to the Arkeyans. If they have a purpose, they're likely to be okay long enough for you to save them."

"What if they're just prisoners?"

Swarm tapped his knees together. "I don't know exactly. Maybe they could be tortured or experimented on. Depends on what the Arkeyans need at the moment."

None of those things had ever occurred to him. The Arkeyans had just been nuisances around Crusher's village. It was only until recently when they'd started being terrors. Right?

"What are you guys going out there for?" Crusher asked, trying to get those thoughts out of his head.

"Hot Head and I are trying to crumble the Arkeyan Empire," Swarm cheered, fists clenched in hopefulness. "We go after temples and slave camps all the time, taking down the opposition and freeing the Mabu prisoners."

"Sounds very ambitous. Most other people I see would rather let things pass, allow the Arkeyans to have their way."

"Nothing will improve if we simply let things pass. No one else seems to get that. Well, you seem to, at least. You're out here, aren't you?"

Crusher shrugged. "I suppose so."

"How far are you taking your fight?"

"Don't know, yet. That depends on what I see at that temple. If things are worse, I might be convinced to keep going at it."

Swarm nodded.

Crusher craned his neck a bit, noticing how dark it seemed outside. "I think the two of us should get to sleep right about now," he decided. "We'll need all the strength we can get for tomorrow."

"Shouldn't one of us keep a lookout?" Swarm asked.

"No Arkeyans' going to come into this cave, I promise. They'd probably go after those Warsupials, but the little guys can get nasty in bigger groups, even toward massive hulking robots. We're okay here."

"Okay. Goodnight, Crusher."

"Goodnight."

Swarm turned on his side, settling down. Crusher closed his eyes, hoping to sleep immediately. But worries and fears ran through his mind. His father couldn't be in that much danger, could he? Yeah, the Arkeyans were tough, but they couldn't stand a change against rock golems in a thousand years- earth beats tech, after all. But then...why would Swarm and Hot Head be so intent on taking them down?

"You're looking for your dad?" Hot Head muttered.

Crusher opened his eyes. He noticed that Hot Head had turned his head slightly to look at him. The fire golem had continued listening to them, huh?

"Yeah," Crusher explained.

"I'm going to give you backup tomorrow while we look for him. It's going to be tough, so you're going to need that help."

Crusher shook his head. "My stone skin is impenetrable. I don't need backup."

"Trust me, you can't take on an entire army on your own. I'm going to help you protect your family."

His eyes were so stern. He seemed so adamant in doing this. "Alright, then. You can go ahead and help me," Crusher decided. "I still don't need it, though."

* * *

Following the trail of a few Arkeyan drill-bots, the group found the temple they had been after. It appeared dilapidated and half-done. Of course, it was just half-done. The walls were unfinished, and there didn't appear to be a roof on top. Mabu slaves wandered about, carrying stone and placing it up on the walls. Some stumbled about on the wooden platforms, and were promplty whipped by Arkeyan Jousters and forced to keep moving. It made Crusher feel sick to his stomach.

"This stone...it doesn't look like stone from around here, does it?" Swarm asked.

"It looks like stone from my village," Crusher noted, scratching his head. "My people definitely are here. My dad has to be here, too."

Hot Head rubbed the back of his neck, looking about the area. "Crusher, let's go down to the lower levels, see what's there," he decided. "Swarm, you can take care of those Jousters on your own, right?"

Swarm nodded, hovering off the desert floor. "I'll create a diversion for you as well," he decided, taking to the air.

They waited until he was high enough, watching as he shot barbed stingers at the Jousters. He flew along the wall as a large group of Jousters went after him. Hot Head and Crusher stepped around the temple, finding a gap that hadn't yet been filled, and stepped into that to enter the temple.

There was a large hole dug out of the ground, encompassing the entirety of the temple. A staircase spiraled downward, odd lights illuminating the dark below. It seemed like a far drop down. They couldn't risk the drop- and they couldn't risk wasting time in case Crusher's people were in danger.

"I'll take the blow," Crusher insisted. "Grab onto me."

"Whoa, are you mad? We can't do that," Hot Head argued.

"Just trust me. I can do it."

Hot Head sighed, complying. Crusher wrapped his arms around him, throwing the two of them off the edge. They fell for several minutes, counting the levels that they passed. They eventually landed on the ground with a hard _thud!_ Their impact created a few cracks along the ground. Hot Head moaned in shock, and Crusher felt the air knocked out of him. Otherwise, they were okay.

"Is anybody coming for us?" Crusher asked.

"Not that I can tell," Hot Head shrugged, getting up. "I have a bad feeling about this. What are they working on down here?"

They walked along a path, Hot Head leading the way with his light. They stayed at the walls, worried about somehow falling out of the temple. The strange lights from earlier became more and more constant, until stopping altogether. Voices were heard arguing and begging. Crusher's people were down here. He was sure of that.

"I can't go on ahead without them noticing us," Hot Head whispered. "You go peek around the corner."

Crusher nodded, doing as he asked. He pressed hmself against the corner of a wall, peering into an entryway onto a truly gruesome sight.

Along a wall, several rock golems were tied together by chains, all of them looking forlorn. They sat near a cage of angry Warsupials, the gray-furred rodents trying their hardest to break apart the bars. Gravel was scattered around the room, kicked away by a large Arkeyan robot about Crusher's height. A glowing red box sat at the center of the room, attached to a machine with vials on it. The vials contained a brownish magic- Earth magic. They were gathering Earth magic with use of an Arkeyan power core!

"Oh, this isn't working...," the Arkeyan robot sighed. "We can't siphen enough magic from the Warsupials or the rock golems. It's going too slow."

A darker gray golem stood up, frowning in defiance. It was Crusher's father! He was still okay!

"Let us go, then!" Crusher's father shouted. "You don't have any use for us!"

"I think we still do," the robot argued. "You could help us build the rest of this temple. It would move faster than with just the Mabu alone. We could also abduct the rest of your village, siphen the magic from them."

"You wouldn't dare! And I'm not going to let you!"

The robot grabbed a stick with a metal rod on it. The rod sparkled with a strange magic unfamiliar to Crusher. This rod poked Crusher's father, burning part of his chest with intense orange heat. The robot pulled away as his father yelped in pain, appearing to smirk at this behavior.

"You will do no such thing," the robot scoffed.

Crusher suddenly noticed the same sparkles on the chains holding the golems together. It had the same kind of powers as the rod. Normally a rock golem could easily break chains apart. If those chains held the same power, no wonder his people hadn't freed themselves yet.

"I'm going in," Crusher whispered.

"Wait! You can't!" Hot Head shouted.

But Crusher was already running, his hammer in the air. He thrust it down on the robot, who produced a shield around itself in defense. They knocked each other back, forcing themselves against each wall. Pain shot up every limb in Crusher's body, and he took quick sharp breaths in order to make it go away.

Wait a minute.

That was pain.

He had felt pain.

The robot picked up the rod, pointing it at Crusher. "Come to free your people, eh?" it spat. "You're going to die before you get the chance."

A rush of fire hit the robot, and Hot Head jumped into the fray. Crusher ran toward the Warsupial cage, grabbing hold of the lock. "Hot Head, the power core!" he shouted.

Hot Head nodded, running for the box. The robot turned to go after him, and it was then that Crusher opened the cage. The Warsupials spilled out, racing toward the robot. They grabbed onto the robot's legs, climbing all over its body and pulling bolts off. The robot struggled with these rodents, allowing Hot Head to turn the power core off.

"Son, the link on the wall!" Crusher's father shouted. "That's the only way to banish this curse!"

Crusher spotted the link on the wall. He thrust his hammer down on it, breaking the link and part of the wall. The rock golems freed themselves, without the need for pain from the cursed chains. Crusher hit the wall again, creating a large hole. He gasped once he saw blue skies on the other side. His father came up next to him, widening the hole so everyone might be able to get out, serving only to baffle Crusher further. He poked his head out of the wall, discovering a tower structure over here. The temple poked its way through the bottom of the island.

"A real mysterious structure, eh son?" his father mused.

"How do we get everyone out?" Crusher asked.

"Only way out is upward."

The robot managed to throw the Warsupials off, lunging after Hot Head. The fire golem managed to dodge this attack, shooting flames at it. A rock golem came to assist him, landing a strong punch on the robot's back. Several other golems joined together, ganging up on the robot and beating it into submission.

"Oh honestly guys, you can't leave me out of it!" Crusher's father insisted. "Let's tie him up so we can all go home."

Crusher looked out of the hole, gasping at the outdoor view. These Arkeyans could siphon magic out of people? They could curse chains and torture people that way? They could penetrate his stony protection and manage to hurt him? What else were these monsters capable of?

* * *

Swarm hadn't had any difficulty taking care of the Jousters. The only trace of them was pieces of scrap metal. The Mabu had been freed, and the Warsupials ran off to rejoin their clans. Hot Head and Swarm were rather jovial about it, saying that it was one of the easier missions they had undertaken.

"Easy? Are you sure?" Crusher asked.

"Normally there are hordes of robots to go after us," Swarm explained. "There was barely any out there. I guess their main focus was on your people. I'm actually kind of glad it was so easy."

Crusher returned with his people to their village, helping them settle back into their homes. Everyone who had stayed home at the time greeted them warmly, excitedly hugging loved ones. They invited Swarm and Hot Head to a feast, to thank them for their help. Swarm excitedly accepted, while Hot Head decided that he needed a minute to think on it. This feast was set outside, where rock golems gathered in happy conversation. The air was filled with joy and excitement.

But Crusher didn't feel happy.

"You haven't even taken anything from the feast," Crusher's dad wondered. "I know you. You'd attack the table right away, taking as much as possible."

"I'm just thinking about stuff," Crusher muttered.

The two of them looked at the giant wasp, smirking at how he gobbled up the food near him. Swarm basked in the warmth of the company near him.

"I doubt I can beat him, though," Crusher chuckled.

He felt his father set a hand on his shoulder. "You don't seem like yourself tonight," he continued. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

"I saw some rubble on the ground. Fallen rock golems, I'm sure. Anyone you knew?"

"There was no one down there when they chained us up."

"Did they hurt you with the curses often."

"Often enough. But they ensured that it was because we were defying their orders to stay still. They couldn't knock us down for long."

Crusher looked up at his father. His heart raced upon looking at his face. The rock golem in front of him appeared like something between a phantom and a living being. Both dead and alive. In another scenario, Crusher would've been too late. His father and the others would've been dead upon his arrival. Or another scenario in which he did arrive, but he'd convinced Hot Head earlier to leave him alone to free his people. Crusher was certain that the robot would've done away with him.

He grabbed his father in a tight hug, sobbing heavily. "I underestimated them," he choked out. "They were able to hurt me. They were able to hurt all of you. I didn't know what I was up against. I'm just...I'm just so glad I got to you in time."

Crusher's father hugged him back. "I'm okay. You don't have to worry," he promised. "We'll make sure they don't capture us again."

Crusher held onto him for another minute. His sobbing quelled, and he slowly released him. An idea came to mind, one that would take him far away from home. It was a necessary thing to do, of course. The fate of Skylands depended on it.

"I'm going to travel with Swarm and Hot Head," Crusher decided. "We need to end this threat. They're determined to do it. I want to follow them as far as I need to."

Crusher's father widened his eyes at this, surprised by how determined he was. He gave him another hug, saying, "Good luck. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Crusher and Swarm walked out to the edge of the village, carrying a few plates of food. The commotion of the feast was dying down, and everyone was preparing to return to their homes. Hot Head had never come back during that time. They figured he would need something to eat.

They spotted Hot Head sitting on a boulder, staring at the sky as the stars came out. Swarm called him over, but he didn't respond.

"Hey buddy, we brought food for you!" Crusher insisted.

Hot Head looked at them for a second. Something shiny appeared to glint on his molten face, but he looked away before they could get a good look at it. "I wasn't very hungry," he muttered.

"Are you alright?" Swarm asked.

"Yeah. I just want to be alone right now."

They stepped closer to him, just enough so he wouldn't get intimidated. Swarm continued quietly, "The other night...we were talking about our families. Did something happen to your family?"

Hot Head stiffened up. "Wh-what made you think that?"

"Just kind of the way you pulled out. I don't know, it was just a guess."

No comment.

"You're not alone in this," Crusher promised him. "We've all been affected by these Arkeyans in one way or another."

Hot Head began pouting. "Oh crud, I didn't want anyone to see me like this," he gasped. "I look really stupid crying like this."

They each took a seat next to him. Liquid tears flowed down Hot Head's cheeks, sizzling away everywhere they landed. It did seem strange to see a fire golem cry liquid tears, but all golems cried like that.

"The Arkeyans killed them all," Hot Head cried. "They killed them all. Froze our mountain with this awful Water magic, something I'd never seen before. They chained us up and loaded us into Autogyros on their way to temple construction sites. Everyone protested, tried to fight back. Those metalheads used similar rods to freeze their eternal flames and kill them. I was the last one they got to, and I'm only here because I didn't fight or argue. I broke out of my enslavement with the help of several other slaves at the site we were told to build."

Swarm threw his arms around Hot Head as this story continued. Hot Head added, "Crusher, I'm glad we could save your dad. I miss my dad all the time. I'd give anything to have him back, to hug me again. I want him back."

Crusher set a hand on his shoulder. They stayed like this for several minutes, allowing Hot Head to cry as long as he needed. Eventually Hot Head's pouting slowed down.

"I'm glad you came to help me," Crusher told him. "I promise I'll return the favor. I'm going to help you guys as much as I can. We're going to make sure that nothing like that happens to anyone else."

Hot Head wiped his tears away. "You're coming with us?" he asked.

"I need to make sure everyone's families stay safe from these monsters. I need to help you guys."

Hot Head cracked a smile. "I welcome you're assistance and friendship."


	47. Hot Head: Rebel Fires

Chapter Forty-Seven: Rebel Fires

Reports of Skylander activity were sighted near a grassy valley. In recent weeks, keeping up with Skylander activity was becoming increasingly difficult for the Arkeyans. There were two separate groups of these heroes- one that declared themselves as such, and one that didn't but still performed the same activities. As frantic as they were, however, the Arkeyans had doubled the search teams for them.

Hot Head walked along the valley floor with Swarm and Crusher, his head switching back and forth in a constant search for danger. His legs felt weak, just barely carrying him through. His stomach churned in worry, and the oil in his body seemed to harden. They all knew what the Arkeyans were up to at this point. Danger could be around any corner.

The ground shook a bit as Crusher slammed his huge hammer on the ground. He lifted it up, laughing at the shattered rock beneath the hammer.

"Stop that! It's too shaky!" Hot Head shouted.

"It was the perfect specimen," Crusher replied. "I couldn't just leave it be."

"Alright, fine. Just be careful."

They continued walking. Suddenly a noise came through the air, like some kind of buzzing. Hot Head whipped his head behind him, finding that Swarm was hovering above the ground.

"Stop that! It's too loud!" Hot Head yelled.

"But I haven't flown in so long," Swarm moaned.

"Can you quiet it down or something?"

"I don't think so."

"Then ground yourself for now. I'm sorry."

Swarm sighed, planting himself down.

Crusher crossed his arms, refusing to release the hammer. "Hey, I get a 'be careful' and he gets a 'stop'?"

"It's just how it works," Hot Head insisted. "Nothing more than that."

They continued on for a little bit, stopping as they noticed the sun setting. Crusher suggested that they camp for the night, seeing that they were only a day from the valley. Hot Head didn't like that idea. The Arkeyans would always be searching for them.

"Maybe we should push on through the night," Hot Head suggested, shrugging his shoulders in a sheepish manner. "Those other Skylanders might be gone before we get there."

"You know it's not helpful to forego sleep in the long run," Swarm argued. "The others are probably camping as well. You never know."

"Which is why we should keep going."

Crusher quickly sat on the ground. "You're welcome to keep going if you want. I, for one, want to camp here tonight."

Hot Head looked at Swarm, his brow furrowed in thought, silently asking what he was going to do. Without another word, Swarm walked over to Crusher, sitting cross-legged next to him. Two out of three, eh? Hot Head grumbled incoherently, walking over and taking a place next to them.

"Do we have any food?" Crusher asked.

"You were the one carrying everything. You should know," Swarm reminded him.

Crusher nodded in realization, taking out the bag behind his back and sifting through it. He dug out three cans and two odd blue crystals, brimming in the discovery. "I can't imagine those slaves feeling all too healthy with a constant diet of canned beans and veggies. Would you care to do the honors, Hot Head?"

Hot Head took the cans, setting them over his head. He waited a few moments until the cans felt warm, setting them back on the ground. Swarm grabbed one of them, opening it up and wolfing down the contents. "It gets a bit easier after time, I imagine," Swarm muttered with a mouth full of food.

Hot Head watched Crusher get into another can, slowly grabbing at the third one. He stared at it, his stomach feeling even more ill than earlier. He nearly shivered at the very memory of these food cans, and he could hardly fathom the idea of opening another one. But there wasn't much to do about it, lest he go hungry tonight. Hot Head opened the can and slowly nibbled at its contents, forcing bile down his throat with every bite.

"Don't like it?" Crusher asked him.

"Can't say it's really my thing," Hot Head muttered.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't like it. Good thing I had another of those Golem Rocks for you."

Hot Head set the can down, picking up one of the crystals. The memory of these things suddenly clicked with him, though the ones he was familiar with had been red like the lava of his home. Boy was he feeling nostalgic right now. What a dangerous feeling.

"It is a good thing," Hot Head agreed. He lifted the crystal over his mouth, broiling it and letting the melted ooze drip into his mouth. Crusher was more than happy to simply crunch on it.

"How much do we have in that bag, food-wise?" Swarm asked.

"Maybe one more day's worth," Crusher shrugged. "Maybe less than two meals. I think we'll have to stock up in the valley. I can cover the cost of that, though. There's enough water as well, but it wouldn't hurt to collect some more."

"What about medicine?" Hot Head wondered. "Do we have enough of that?"

"There's enough gauze and bandages for wounds, plus enough of that ice salve for your wounds. We're a bit low on herbs for illnesses, but there's enough for a week-long thing- I'll have to restock on those as well. What else do you need to check up on?"

Food, medicine, those two things were priorities in Hot Head's mind. He couldn't think of anything else. "I think we're good for the moment," he decided. "I'll take first watch if that's okay with everyone."

"I think I'll take the second one tonight," Crusher replied. "Which means Swarm and I should catch up on sleep now."

"Sounds good."

Crusher and Swarm settled onto their sides. Crusher seemed to fall asleep almost immediately- a remarkable talent of his. Swarm didn't come to it like that, his wings humming every now and again. He'd turned his back to Hot Head, almost bashfully so.

"You haven't said good night yet," Hot Head muttered, arms crossed.

Swarm turned his head slightly. "Good night," he said.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all. It's just...are you wanting to quit?"

He was talking about their quest to defeat the Arkeyans. "No, I don't want that," Hot Head promised him.

"You're getting that weird clingy, not clingy behavior again. You're yelling much more frequently, and trying to stay just as close. It was like when we first met."

"Well, I'll admit I'm a bit more nervous than before. I have reason too."

"What do you want, then?"

Hot Head found himself quiet for a moment, trying to think of that. What did he want? What was the best thing for them at the moment, that would keep them safe?

"I guess...maybe a moment to pause," Hot Head shrugged. "I don't want to stop completely. I don't want to give up after all this time out here. But we're attacking factories and trade depots almost every day, and the Arkeyans are getting wary of it. Maybe if we slow down for a moment, they'll slow down in their hunt for us."

"I don't know if that's possible. If we slowed down, they Arkeyans can focus on rebuilding what we've destroyed. Our activity has probably halted them a bit."

"I'm aware of that possibility." -Hot Head pressed his hands to his temples- "Just one day, then. No worrying about destroying factories or freeing slaves. No hurry on meeting up with Skylanders. Just one day to allow myself to mellow out."

"That we might be able to do. I mean, we have to restock on supplies anyway. Wouldn't be too bad for us to have a break. Let's see about it in the morning, then."

"Alright. Are we all good, then?"

Swarm smiled. "Yeah, we're good. Good night, Hot Head."

"Good night, kid."

Swarm shifted a bit, turning so he was facing Hot Head. The fire golem looked to the stars, finding a smile creeping on his face. One day to avoid concerning themselves over rebellions and Arkeyans. That would be nice indeed.

* * *

The valley was home to a very large Mabu settlement. Nearly every inch of land had a house or building on it, and any that didn't were used for farmland. The Giants found themselves baffled and amazed by it. The Mabu, a species absolutely devastated by Arkeyan slavers, had found a place to thrive.

"This place is incredible!" Swarm gasped. "Almost like something from the picture books my mom used to show me!"

"I can't imagine it would be hard to restock here," Crusher chuckled, arms crossed. "I'm going to look for the shops."

Swarm bounded over to his side. "Let me scout it out for you! It's been forever since I've been able to really fly!"

"We'll be shopping buddies, then. Fine by me. Oh, that just leaves Hot Head out of this. Do you want to come with us, buddy?"

Hot Head's heart pounded. He was absolutely elated, taken away by the magnificence of the village. "I don't have to, do I?" he asked.

"I don't think so," Crusher decided. "There's no danger here, and we don't have any pressing matters to attend to. What were you thinking?"

"I guess I wanted to stroll around. It's been a long time since I've seen a thriving village."

"Alrighty, then. We'll meet back here when we're done, okay?"

"Sounds good."

Swarm took to the air, Crusher following after him. Hot Head turned the other way, coming down a cobbled street. He felt a little odd, like he was walking on a cloud. This shouldn't be possible. There could be no way he was actually in a thriving village.

But then he saw the people moving about. Mabu went about their daily business, walking down the street beside him, pausing to chat to strangers. A few children skirted around his legs as they played. Wheel barrows came passed some of the buildings, farmers gently leading the turtles around. It dawned on him that he really was standing around in a thriving village.

Hot Head smiled, taking bigger strides while minding where he stepped. A gentle breeze blew passed him. It did feel like he was walking on a cloud- and he couldn't be happier about it.

He walked around the village for a time, pausing as he realized he was getting to the easternmost mountain. Hot Head looked around a bit, unsure of where Swarm and Crusher told him to meet up. He hadn't been paying much attention back there, huh? It had been a while since he'd done something like that.

He caught sight of someone sitting by the mountain, clanking two rocks together. This figure resembled a rock golem, but this one was shorter than Crusher, and its features were a bit more square as well. Hot Head recognized him from somewhere, though he couldn't quite recall it.

Well, that wasn't true. He had no difficulty recalling where this golem came from.

He just didn't want to remember it.

"Hey you," Hot Head called over.

The golem sat up, still holding onto his rocks. He gave a wide grin, bounding over to Hot Head. "Steamy! It's nice to see you!" he cheered.

Hot Head felt the golem wrap his arms around him, squeezing him tightly. A bit too tightly, but it was a familiar feeling he'd been given a long time ago. "It's been too long, Gigantus," Hot Head groaned in the hold. "You're not still hanging out with those rebels, are you?"

The golem, Gigantus, released him, handing him the rocks. "Oh I am. We're travelling all over Skylands nowadays, hitting as many slave camps as we can. I've never felt more useful in my life."

"I'm glad that you're happy."

"You must've been worried about me, right?"

"I've been trying not to think of you guys in danger out there. I used to get nightmares about it all the time."

"What have you been up to? Still trying to find a place to settle down?"

Hot Head rubbed the back of his neck, gritting his teeth sheepishly. "You could say that," he muttered. "Those Arkeyans are crawling all over the place, though. Sometimes I'd find a nice little place, only to find foot soldiers scouring the area. Nearly impossible to get rid of them. I'm surprised you guys even have a chance with them."

"We work on our tactics every day. We're always planning things out now, instead of just going on the fly. Well, I don't exactly pitch in. I try, but it's hard for me to think of these things."

"Is Jini still running things? Taking charge and rallying the troops?"

"Yup. Man, you should see the fire in her eyes when that passion sparks up."

"I remember that passion. I don't need to see it again for that proof."

Hot Head set the rocks down, slumping a tiny bit. So she was still running things with those rebels. It kind of sounded like she was doing a better job of it, but Gigantus wasn't exactly the best holder of information.

"Hey, you should keep those," Gigantus told him. "They're tough like granite. I think they might be. Remember, you're a golem. Those rocks are a part of you just as they are a part of me."

"Your rebel group is hiding out here, right?" Hot Head asked. "That must be why you're here."

"Our camp isn't too far into the mountains. You could come stop by, if you like."

"I...I really don't think I have any business being there."

"Your business is to say hello."

Gigantus was grinning like a big doofus now. Well, he probably was a big doofus, but a doofus had no use in this world- and that wasn't Gigantus at all. Hot Head wanted nothing to do with the rebels, but he didn't want to disappoint his old friend.

"I don't know about myself, but I found a few other Giants here," Hot Head suggested. "They've got that rebel fire going. I think Jini might want to speak with them, so I'll try to send them over."

"Newbies? I think she'd be very excited about that! Bring them over tonight, okay?"

"I'll see what I can do."

Gigantus waved him goodbye, hobbling off to find some new rocks. Hot Head stood by for a moment, then turned the other way to try and find the rendezvous point. His stomach was queasy now, and he wanted nothing more than to escape from this valley. Maybe they'll find the Skylanders here, and they can hurry on out.

* * *

 _Hot Head didn't enjoy crying. For some reason, his tears came out wet, steam rising from the spots on his body where they fell. It reminded him of the frost that had overtaken his home, that the Arkeyans had used to kill everyone there. He thought that his tears might put out his eternal flame, and that it might kill him._

 _But even that didn't stop him from blubbering after that first battle. Nearly half of the slaves at the camp had been taken out, slain at the hands of those skeletal warriors. It had been a part of Ninjini's strategy to try and psych out the opposition. It had certainly worked, with the warriors fleeing as soon as the three Giants started doing their stuff._

 _But at what cost?_

 _The fallen were laid to rest in a grassy field, and they held ceremonies for each of them, the last one taking place at sunset. The Mabu rebels departed after each and every one, until only the Giants were left. Gigantus eventually parted from them as well, having become more interested in speaking with the others. Hot Head looked over at Ninjini, who seemed as stoic as ever. She had grieved, of course, but only for the allotted time she'd insisted was appropriate. The only reason she was still here was for Hot Head's sake._

 _"What's going on in your head right now?" Hot Head mumbled, tears dripping down his face._

 _"I get what you're feeling. I do," Ninjini insisted. "But this mourning phase of yours has gone on a bit long, hasn't it? Each ceremony has been completed. We don't have any more to do for the moment. I think it would be best if you composed yourself."_

 _"I'll remain like this as long as I darn well please! You have no control over the way I feel!"_

 _"If we're going to keep doing this, we need to stay composed."_

 _Hot Head crossed his arms, glaring at her. She was a robot, wasn't she? Cold, emotionless, stone face. He was finding it hard to tell the difference between the two at the moment. The oil in his body boiled at her, furious at how she was treating this event._

 _"And what reason do I have to continue doing this?" Hot Head yelled. "This was a disaster!"_

 _"This was a victory. Don't forget that," Ninjini argued._

 _"Well, if we keep winning like this, only us Giants will be left."_

 _"This is war, Hot Head. You can't expect everyone to stay alive."_

 _"You knew they didn't have time to train properly! You knew the power that the Arkeyans were going to send after us! You and I should've been on the front lines, covering their backs! You can't use the Mabu as pawns like this!"_

 _"It was an ancient battle tactic of my people. Many battles were won with this stra-"_

 _"Your people are gone, Jini! Mine too! They were killed by old tactics that the Arkeyans evolved past! This is not our world anymore, nor is it the Mabu's world! The Arkeyans have the greater powers, the greater resources, and the greater numbers! You're all going to die before the next spring! And I don't want any part in this senseless slaughter!"_

 _Ninjini turned to face him, scowling. "You're not leaving us, I hope? Where do you think you can go? Unless we fight, there is no safe haven for anyone."_

 _"I'll find a way!" Hot Head howled. "I'll find a safe spot that's all my own, far away from this chaos! I don't want a part in any of it!"_

 _He turned away from her and started running. He leapt in jagged bounds, rushing toward the edge of the island. Hot Head turned to make sure Ninjini wasn't chasing him down- she wasn't, thankfully. He was glad to be leaving. He didn't want to fight in a war that they'd already lost._

* * *

Hot Head led Swarm and Crusher to the rebel camp that night, allowing them to converse with anyone they pleased. The fire golem stayed back, watching the activity going on there. The Mabu rebels seemed a bit more experienced this time around, training and sorting out supplies. They looked jovial enough, chatting leisurely among themselves as they did this. And Swarm and Crusher seemed to get along fine with everyone there. Still, he didn't feel right going in there. It reminded him too much of that failed battle.

Swarm returned to his side after a while, standing tip-toed and looking at him in curiosity. "A few of them told us that Ninjini wanted to see you," he noted.

Hot Head leaned against a cliff face. "I'm sure she does," he muttered.

"You guys didn't leave on the best of terms, huh?"

"We were in the same slave camp for a while. We lifted the heaviest blocks, usually restrained by those darn cursed chains. She was always talking about rebellion, and I was pretty stoked about it for a while. Things didn't exactly work out well, though. I decided to split before anything worse could happen, and after a while, I met you."

"You wanted to fight back before?"

"Most everyone has a bit of that rebel fire, kid. No one you meet is happy with the Arkeyans, and they want them gone. I think it died out in me, for a while. It just felt like all we were going to do is fight and die."

"They seem to know what they're doing now. And they look like they've been at it for a while."

"You look that way too. You look a thousand years older than you should be. At least from that glow to your eyes."

Swarm slapped him, but Hot Head quickly dodged the move. He grinned at him, laughing.

"What if Crusher and I wanted to follow the rebels for a while?" Swarm asked. "Just to see how they worked? Are you still going to join us?"

"Do you want to follow them?" Hot Head wondered. "What about the Skylanders?"

"They're supposed to be here. They might be attracted by the rebels, too. You don't know. But I'm curious about Ninjini and her group. I kind of want to hang out with them, for a while. What do you want to do?"

He didn't know. Hot Head had no clue what he wanted this time. The thought of running was strong in his gut, and if he followed it, he might run to the far corners of Skylands. The rebel fire argued with it, yearning to accompany Swarm and Crusher to wherever they wanted to go. Yet...he couldn't do that near Ninjini. Who was to say that she wouldn't use them as pawns as well? No one was going to do that to his friends, not again. He didn't want them anywhere near her.

Of course, he didn't want to force them to do anything they didn't want to do. Hot Head decided that his main goal was to keep them safe, at least.

"I'll stick around with you," Hot Head promised him. "You've had difficulty getting out of pinches without me."

"Knock it off, okay?" Swarm giggled.

Hot Head stood up, sighing. "I should speak to Jini now, shouldn't I?"

"Perhaps."

"Best not to delay it any longer, huh? Go and find Crusher, alright?"

Hot Head walked away from him, heading into the camp. He stepped around tents that were much smaller than he was, nearly smiling as the rebels chatted among themselves. He caught sight of Crusher, who was currently engaged in a rock-smashing contest with Gigantus, much to the enthusiasm of the rebels spectating it. Hot Head continued onward, finding a tent much bigger than the others- Ninjini's tent. He walked in, finding the elven genie standing over a table with a large map on it. A purple-ish bottle was sitting at the edge of the table. He recognized it as an important possession of hers, though he remembered her describing them as shackles in the past.

"Hey there," Hot Head greeted her.

Ninjini looked up, eyes widened in shock. "Hello, Hot Head," she replied. "You're looking well."

"You too."

"I thought you didn't want any part of the war."

Hot Head set his hands behind his head. "Oh, you know. Dumb kid has a hero complex. I decided to keep him safe, nothing more."

"You have that rock golem as well. He could do that job for you."

"He's a bit incompetent. They both are, really. They would be dead by now without me."

She smiled a tiny bit. "Your passion was always protecting people, wasn't it?"

Hot Head relaxed his stance. "Hm."

"Why don't you come over here and see what I'm working on?"

Hot Head walked next to her, looking at the map. Ninjini pointed some things out, and continued, "Our scouts have spotted a temple construction site out in this desert, this one with higher security than most. I was thinking that Gigantus could lead some of the rebels into the slave barracks to release the Mabu imprisoned there. Then the rest of the participating Giants fight off the forces on the surface, taking down the robot running the place."

Hot Head nearly gasped. He found himself pleasantly surprised by this plan of hers. It sounded sensible this time around. She had begun to consider the safety of the rebels. Of course, he was still a bit suspicious.

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me about all of this," he thought.

She looked at him, but didn't reply.

"Go on and spit it out, then."

"Our target is an Arkeyan Conquertron."

He nearly spluttered out his indignation, stepping back. Hot Head had only ever heard tales of those fiends. How they were much larger than the average war machine. How they never failed to reach out at someone that attacked them. How relentless they were in taking down anyone that dare step onto the premises. There was no getting past them.

"I understand that the risk of this mission is high," Ninjini added. "I know the odds of success aren't likely. But I foresee a great reward from this success. If we can pull this off, it'll shake the Empire to its very core. It'll show them that we are not a simple band of ruffians, but citizens who will have their voice heard. Who will not back down from this tyranny."

"Oh no, there you go with the great and powerful speech thing again," Hot Head frowned. "You got this way last time. 'No one's going to say we're insignificant. We're not going to let them control us any longer.' I remember every word of that speech. And then you go and lead them into a battle far bigger than what they're capable of, getting half of them killed."

Ninjini slapped a palm on the table. "I kept your words in mind. I've been much more careful, having Gigantus and me lead the charge in battle. But we still get casualties. We get less than before, but we still get them, because that is what happens during war."

"You're not taking Swarm and Crusher away."

"I have found myself ill-contented, lately. We're well-suited to destroying factories led by smaller war machines, but when does that end? When is it enough? When will they stop rebuilding? When will this game of cat-and-mouse cease? Even with the Skylanders sticking their feet into this puddle, nothing is really changing in this war. No matter how I look at it, this is the only way we can move forward."

"You're not going to take them away from me."

"And would you stop them from sacrificing themselves, if the need arose? If my death were the deciding factor of the rebel victory, I would gladly die for the sake of Skylands' freedom. From the way Swarm and Crusher act, I'd expect them to think the same. You might be back in the fight, but you're still not looking at the big picture. You still expect to coast along, not really rooting in place and not really fighting the Arkeyans. You still expect to get out of this alive."

"Maybe I do, so what? That thought is what got me back into the fight to begin with. I didn't want to do this if I didn't think there was a future for us after all of this. If there was a future for anyone. I felt better to think that I might be okay. But I almost always get frozen in fear when I worry that Swarm and Crusher might not be okay. Yes, fight, but don't expect to stop the island from breaking by throwing your bodies on the cracks."

They stood still for a while, neither one daring to move. The commotion outside the tent seemed to have died down a bit.

"Are you joining us on this mission, then?" Ninjini asked. "Since you're so passionate about protecting your new friends."

"I'm joining, of course," Hot Head decided. "If only to protect them from you."

Ninjini nodded, and she didn't say another word about it.

* * *

The rebels made their way to the temple site the next day, sneaking around the back. Gigantus's group traveled downward, hoping to head into the slave barracks. The rest of the Giants were divided into groups of two- Hot Head and Swarm were taking the southern side, taking out the robotic workers, while Ninjini and Crusher were taking the north side, on the offensive of the Conquertron. Hot Head found himself glad for this, mainly because he knew he wouldn't work well with the elven genie. Perhaps Crusher would reign her in a bit, just to make sure she didn't do anything rash.

He and Swarm hugged a wall, peeking at the activity of the robots. They appeared to be marching about, patrolling the area. Jousters and juggernauts changed positions constantly, changing up their defense plan every minute or so.

"These guys seem a bit antsy," Swarm muttered. "The robots we saw in other temples were much more serious."

"Robots near the slave barracks are probably going to be a bit more serious," Hot Head shrugged. "These guys have no business being there, what with a big bad Conquertron looking after everything. They're itching for a fight, and we're going to give them one. What are you thinking we should do?"

Swarm touched a finger to his chin. "It probably won't be too difficult to take them out. It might only take my swarming ability to do that. But they might head off toward the barracks, and that would give the others a problem. Why don't you set up an oil barricade? If they come by, light them up."

Hot Head grinned. "I do love a good barricade. Head on out there and I'll start."

Swarm hovered off the ground, climbing up the wall and sneaking by. Hot Head held his arm out, shooting oil from his hand. The robots got riled up, with Swarm shooting barbs at them. A few split off from the fray, running after Hot Head to get to the barracks. Just as planned. Hot Head shot fire at the oil line, broiling anyone that had the misfortune of getting stuck there. Swarm split off into millions of tiny little wasps, attacking the remaining robots and pulling them apart. Hot Head leapt through the fire, meeting up with Swarm as he reformed.

"Good job, kid," Hot Head cheered. "They didn't stand a chance against you."

Swarm nodded meekly, a bit worried for some reason. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered. "But didn't this seem a bit... _too_ easy?"

"Like I said, we've got the Conquertron here."

The ground rumbled a tiny bit, a few goats scattering away from the source. It felt a bit close, maybe near where the Conquertron was said to be. Fear hit Hot Head in the gut like a mallet, and he thought about Crusher and Ninjini.

"Hey, you know what? Let's meet up with the others," Hot Head decided. "I feel like they could use a bit more help."

"I guess so," Swarm agreed, hovering once more. "What's a Conquertron like anyway?"

"Why don't I show you?"

They rushed onward, following a winding path around the temple to the northern side. They found themselves heading toward the center, pausing just before it. Crusher and Ninjini were engaged in battle, dodging laser attacks from the Conquertron. The mighty robot towered several stories above them, resembling the physique of the tyrannical King it served. It slammed a mighty fist on the ground, crushing the orbs that Ninjini had summoned. Crusher pulled her out of the way of another laser attack, but it still managed to nick her on the arm.

Swarm staggered back, mouth agape. "Oh."

"Crusher! Ninjini! Switch!" Hot Head shouted.

Crusher guarded Ninjini as they fell back, allowing Hot Head and Swarm to take the mantle. Swarm split apart again, flying around the Conquertron's face. Hot Head fired two streams of oil at the giant robot's feet, trying and failing to get it to relent. The bug swarm suddenly flew away, setting back onto the ground as Swarm shifted back, slumping down. Hot Head rushed to his side, Crusher and Ninjini taking the mantle once more.

"Swarm, are you alright?" Hot Head asked.

Swarm looked up at him, eyes half-closed in exhaustion. "Yeah, just a bit tired," he muttered. "I haven't done it twice in an hour yet. Guess I should've been practicing."

"Get your energy back, then. Come back in when you're ready."

Hot Head got back up, running into the fray. "Crusher! Switch with me!" he shouted.

The rock golem nodded, falling back and letting Hot Head take his place. He shot flames at the Conquertron's raised hand, and this seemed to make it flinch a little. Ninjini summoned more orbs, firing them at its torso to little effect.

"That oil stuff is still there," Ninjini told him. "You should light that up."

Hot Head nodded, shooting a flame at the Conquertron's feet. The giant robot flinched at this, but it managed to wave the flames away with its giant hand. They had been put out almost immediately. No one had been able to do that before!

A barb shot at the Conquertron's head. Hot Head turned around, noticing Swarm back on his feet and back to full power. The wasp was backing up a bit as he fired, trying to distance himself from an attack that the robot might take on. Hot Head found his head moving to the left, discovering a long chain connecting to the base that the Conquertron was standing on. A great viewpoint for a mighty robot- but one that could be take advantage of.

"Crusher! The chain!" Hot Head yelled.

Crusher nodded, running after it. The Conquertron was on it, slamming its gargantuan hand in front of the main link. The force was grand enough to push Crusher back, sending him to the ground. The rock golem was motionless, but thankfully not limp, as his arms were pushing against the ground. But this was definitely not good for them. They needed help, and they needed it fast.

The Conquertron prepared to smash its other fist down, but something latched onto it, holding it back. It looked like an anchor, maybe, attacked to another chain. The Giants looked up to a roof, discovering that they were not alone. A whale behemoth had come in, holding the Conquertron back. Whale behemoth? Was he Swarm's friend?

"I've got it! Do what you will!" the whale behemoth shouted.

Swarm and Ninjini were on the offensive, shooting orbs and barbs at the Conquertron. Hot Head split away from them, making his way to the chain. He paused at the main link, grabbing the chain. His arms suddenly started burning, ice crawling up, and he quickly dropped it. The ice disappeared almost immediately after. That chain was cursed, like many other tools at the slave camps. He couldn't touch the main link without it harming him.

Someone grabbed the chain a bit farther away. Hot Head turned to look at the figure, discovering it to be Crusher. His hands were starting to glow orange, the curse attempting to melt him away. It seemed to have paused for the moment, unable to penetrate the rock golem's stone skin.

"Pull it out! I'm holding onto the brunt of the force! Do it!" Crusher shouted.

Hot Head nodded, running toward the main link. He gripped on it with all his might, the ice just barely touching his fingers. With a strong grunt, he lifted it up. He and Crusher dropped the chain, letting it fall off the temple. The Conquertron's base started to fracture, disorienting it a bit.

"There's at least two others my pals have scouted," Thumpback added. "Get rid of those, and this guy's toast."

Crusher touched his hands, wincing a bit at residual pain. "I need to find them, then," he decided. "I'm the only one who can resist the curse for a long period of time."

"Look at your hands, man. They can't whether two more curses like that," Hot Head argued. "Not without severe damage, at least."

"That curse was stronger than what chains normally have. If you were to take on that burden, that ice might reach your eternal flame and kill you."

"And I think you might have a hard time lifting that hammer of yours when your hands are hurting so much."

Ninjini fell back. "I think I can make a shield for them," she decided. "Hot Head, take my place while I go."

Hot Head ran back into the fray, shooting fire at the Conquertron. "Don't do anything rash, alright?"

Ninjini nodded, and she hurried off.

The rest of them continued to distract the Conquertron for a few more minutes, dodging every blow it tried to make on them. In another moment, though, two more chains fell away from the robot's platform. The ground crumbled beneath the Conquertron, and it fell down, sinking to the very depths of Skylands. Ninjini returned to them, followed by three other Giants. Hot Head recognized them without any other indicators- they were the Skylanders that Swarm had wanted to find.

* * *

Everyone gathered back to camp that night, recounting the fierce battle that they'd won. None of the Mabu with Gigantus had seemed harmed- heck, they even managed to bring back a few new rebels with them. The Skylanders had come back with them as well, chatting to Hot Head and Swarm in great detail, expressing amusement at the group that the young wasp had gathered. Swarm talked a lot with Thumpback, the Giant whom most of his stories had been about. Hot Head knew how eager he'd been to meet up with him again, so he left him be and hung out with Crusher near the mountains.

"Our quest is complete now, huh?" Crusher smiled, leaning against the cliff face. "We've met up with the Skylanders like Swarm wanted. Where does our path lead next?"

"I don't really think our quest is complete just yet," Hot Head replied. "This was just like phase one every time I went through it. Initially, phase two would probably be to continue what the three of us were doing without them, just with bigger numbers. Now, I'm not so sure, especially with what we did today."

"I can hardly fathom it. We took down a Conquertron. I can't think of anything else that could've done that."

They sat in silence for a moment, each beaming about the accomplishment. Hot Head's jovial mood faded, and he muttered, "You were ready to break your hands back there, weren't you?"

Crusher looked at him, a bit confused. "Nothing we were doing was working," he explained.

"You wouldn't have liked that. What if that curse crippled you?"

"Nothing was working. I just felt so useless fighting that thing with Ninjini. My hammer couldn't reach that far, and my stone gaze wasn't working on him. My only real talent is my durability, so as long as I had that, I figured I'd be okay. I'm just a living shield, anyway."

"You're not just a living shield. You are a person with wants and desires like any other fighter here. I know you wouldn't have liked being unable to lift that hammer, and I was trying to keep you safe."

Crusher furrowed his brow, looking at his hammer as if he'd forgotten about his passion. "Yeah, that would really suck."

"It would indeed suck."

"But you were going to sacrifice yourself if you went to hold the other chains, weren't you?"

Hot Head crossed his arms. "That's a bit different. I wanted to make sure you guys were safe. As long as I knew I'd accomplished that, I think it would've been okay."

"Now I thought you wanted a nice cozy little home, with all the food you could eat and the places you could nap. You would've given that up back there?"

"It seemed a bit petty, for a while."

Crusher stood up, stretching. "Well I have a new desire for you. A nice cozy island for the three of us. You can eat and nap, Swarm can fly about, and I can go smashing rocks. Sounds great, right?"

"Sounds like we'd do a lot of nothing. And I like the idea of that."

Ninjini floated over, hands clasped. "Crusher, you don't mind leaving so Hot Head and I can chat, do you?" she asked.

"I was going to look for Swarm, anyway," Crusher replied, walking away. "Be nice to each other, okay?"

Ninjini turned her head, waiting until he was out of hearing distance. She moved up closer to him, her head bowed slightly low. "I know this mission put a large strain on you. You wanted nothing to do with this kind of rebel work, I remember."

"In a way, you were right," Hot Head muttered. "Destroying simple factories was getting us nowhere. Though I am a bit worried that the Arkeyans are going to chase us down after this."

"This is something that comes with our quest."

"I know. And I can't run away from that anymore."

Ninjini took a spot next to him. "I was thinking of joining you and the Skylanders as well, put some ideas into the group on fighting strategies. We ought to focus on freeing slaves, gathering our forces, and maybe taking out another Conquertron or two."

"With the end goal being to defeat the Arkeyan King, right?"

"That's the plan I have in mind."

"I think they're bound to go along with it."

"You're scared about something, I can tell. I'll leave you be, and give you all the time you need to recover from this."

The fire golem shook his head, his eyes feeling a bit damp. "No. I want you to stay," he muttered.

Ninjini looked at him, eyes widened in surprise. "What's going through your head?"

He hugged his body, trying and failing to stop the tears. "I used to have nightmares about you all the time. You and my clan, just being decimated by Arkeyan forces. I dreaded falling asleep and thinking about it. I wanted you to be safe, but I didn't want to go back. I wanted to hide away from this conflict, to pretend that it wasn't really all around me. I was a coward, and I just abandoned you in the fight."

Ninjini wiped a few strands of red hair out of her eyes. "Cowards are the ones who refuse to fight," she argued. "You've never stopped fighting, have you?"

"What difference does it make? I still ran away.."

"I wasn't a leader back then. I understood battle tactics, but I didn't know how to execute them. That was my fault, not yours. I'm sure your departure brought some good, though, for the both of us. It allowed me to reinvent our rebel force, and you got the chance to remember why you wanted to fight. You remember, right?"

Hot Head wiped his tears away. "I do. I want to live in a world where each clan can live peacefully. Where no one has to be afraid of Arkeyans taking our friends and resources. Where Giants such as ourselves can mingle with smaller folk, and become friends with them. I want to live in a world where no one else has to experience what I experienced, and where the thought of Arkeyans is a distant memory."

"Are you ready to go after it, then?"

"I could never be ready at this point. But I know that I'm not going to run away anymore."

Ninjini held her hand out. "Do you forgive me, then?"

Hot Head held his hand out, and she grabbed it in an odd handshake. "I don't know if I can do that. It still hurts to think about," he admitted. "But I want to start over. Maybe we can try that."

"I don't know if starting over is possible. But we can always try."

A buzzing sound came forth, and Swarm caught up to Hot Head. "You said you were sticking with us, right? You should really talk to the others," he piped up. "Bouncer wanted to talk about battle tactics with you."

"Jini's the one he wants, but I'm willng to chat," he decided, following the eager wasp.


End file.
